My pack and I
by Karmawalking
Summary: Another pack joins the Quileutes against the vampire threat. Pack politics are hard to navigate, but what happens when our favourite wolf imprints on someone from the other pack? Jacob/OC , I'm playing with first person narrative, can you see what I'm trying to do? As always, reviews are greatly appreciated.
1. A beginning

I started a new chapter but it seemed to fit better as part of this one. I've made a few small changes too, but nothing major.

I wasn't sure if it was a nightmare or a flashback. It felt like it had been so long since I could last tell the difference between being asleep and awake.

I saw the shift in posture of the guys who weren't on patrol. Immediately alert, two of them bound out of the house before I heard the tell-tale ripping noise and growls of their shift. The one that remained stood guard at the door, his body tense and every nerve on alert.

'What's happened?' I asked. I was waved into silence. The house was flanked by forest, with a large grass clearing at its front. The back of the house opened up immediately to a thick wall of trees and bracken.

What seemed like an eternity passed in tense silence.

I heard a howl in the distance.

You could learn a lot from a howl. I'd often compared it to babies' crying, much to my pack's dismay. There were 'I've found food' howls, 'I'm messing around' howls or even the 'how you doin'?' howls. This was a howl I'd never heard, and never wanted to again. It was pain and heart ache. Jeremy, the youngest member of the pack who had been left with me tensed, bracing himself against the white paint of the window frame.

Jeremy ran to the door and flung it open; in the distance I could see the rest of the pack making their way towards us. Four massive wolves, most at least six foot at the shoulder ran alongside two people, naked. One of them was holding someone to their chest, the body's limp arm bouncing around as they ran toward the house.

All at once it was a bluster of noise and activity. The normally spacious living room was all of a sudden far too small. Seven people surrounded me, whilst someone laid Ryan on the floor in front of me.

It was a cacophony of statements and questions: Can you help him? It was a vampire. He never saw it coming. Is it too late? Look at the bruises. He's still breathing though, right?

Hard fingers dug hard into my shoulder. Any other time and I would have noticed the shooting pain. 'Why aren't you doing anything?' he shouted.

A tall figure, the tallest, shoved the hand away and barked 'enough!' at the crowd around me. Instantly, there was silence.

Ryan was lying prone on the floor. He was only wearing his canvas cut-offs, enjoying the sun whilst out running. His bare chest let me see the flush purple and black bruising around his ribs. A distinct raised ridge marked at least one very obvious broken rib. I could hear his haggard breathing under the panting of the pack members. Some of his fingers were twisted at unnatural angles and his face bore two black eyes, and a broken nose.

I dropped to my knees next to him and put my hands on either side of his head.

The world stopped.

It always took a second to adjust to the new feedback. There was no sight, smell or touch. It was now electrical impulses sent from someone else's brain to parts of their body. All I had to do was watch. Often when I was practicing this felt a little voyeur-istic, but then I didn't even think about it. The body was trying to repair the damage, sending messages to where they were needed most.

There was so much going on I couldn't grasp it all at once. His metabolism was so fast, when I'd caught one reading, it was already changing. After a few seconds, perhaps too many, I finally got a picture of what was happening: lungs punctured, heart damaged, internal bleeding, fractured skull, minor broken bones.

There was too much! I couldn't do all this. The goal was to keep him alive. Rule one: treat the patient in front of you. Who is it? What are their strengths?

Ryan's body would repair most of the damage itself, but only if he survived. So the job was life-threatening injuries.

I moved my hands from his head to his bare chest. Concentrating on the connection I'd made, I felt the broken ribs through his mind. Usually, there was a chant I'd use to help me focus, or some meditation to calm me before I began. Not so today.

I opened my mind and energy pulsed through my hands. I saw it as a tidal wave of green; others had said they couldn't see anything, but to me it was like an ocean of emerald.

His rib cage snapped back into place, pushing Ryan's chest back into its normal shape. I think I heard gasps around me, but too focused, I carried on. The bones snapping back into place had left gaping holes in his lungs that were filling with blood. Energy surrounded the damages areas, stopping the blood. With a little help, his body repaired the holes almost as quickly as I could have.

With the first major obstacle out of the way, I looked to his heart. Bruised and battered, I was worried it wouldn't carry him through healing his injuries.

A flutter of impulses shot through his body, wracking my mind. The internal bleeding was worse than I thought. Ryan was bleeding to death on the floor, right in front of me.

I pulled on my reserves, but setting his bones had taken its toll. Heart or bleeding? Heart or bleeding? I didn't know. I wasn't sure.

I had to choose one: the bleeding was bad, but if his heart stopped: game over. Although, I still had a trick up my sleeve.

I made the waves of green pulse into a single pin-point of light. I placed it carefully at the centre of his heart, and spoke a Word.

The little point of light pulsed slightly in recognition. Nothing compared to the power I poured into such a simple act. My heart gave a flutter at the effort.

His heart responded with a loud thud. Ryan's eyes flew open and he gasped for breath. He rolled onto his side and coughed up the blood that had made it into his lungs. He looked around the room confused, but with a relieved smile laid back down on his back.

I felt my energy continuing to pulse from his heart through to the rest of his body. The injuries I couldn't heal now would be kept at bay until his body could repair them. The price however, well, I wasn't sure what that would be.

I put my hand on his shoulder to get his attention. Tired blue eyes met my now dull green-grey.

'You good?' I asked.

'I'm good.' He said with a small smile. I nodded and laid down next to him, resting in the crook of his arm, my head on his shoulder.

'Good.' I muttered and then everything just kind of, well, stopped.

The pulse in his heart continued to the rhythm of my heart beat.

Over the next I don't know how long, I remember talks. Everyone sat in the living room with our Alpha, Jared, asking questions from the pack. I don't remember the questions, or even the topic, all there was was the small green light keeping Ryan alive. Unbeknownst to him.

I know there were arguments: Jeremy got angry at something, and one of the others stepped up to him. It got loud and I shuffled uncomfortably at the noise. I realised then that I was on the only piece of furniture in the large room, a beaten-up old sofa. Not alone however, as I felt a deep growl rumble through the chest that I was lying against. Gentle, steel hard arms tightened a little around me whilst Ryan growled at Jeremy and the other person who was shouting. Ryan was warm, and I let myself fall into oblivion whilst the power of my Word kept the spell working.

The next memory was blurry. I hadn't moved, and Ryan's arm was still around my waist, holding me to his chest whilst his other played with my hair. Everything else was chaos. Jared was in the middle of it, trying to direct people to this way, and take that over there. Watching was exhausting, but I remember being entranced at the pack working together and our Alpha leading the way.

I was jerked forwards out of a daze. Someone had tried to lift me off the sofa. By the time I had managed to open my eyes, I was lying flat on the sofa and without Ryan's body heat at my back it felt cold. Ryan, and the green point of light happily sitting in his heart, was stood between me and someone else. Ryan was still wearing his cut-offs and his hair was a mess, but he was crouched in a defensive stance and the other person was getting up from the floor. Guess Ryan didn't want me moved.

Being part of a pack meant the occasional testosterone stand-off. I went back to my non-sleep, unresponsive, just focus on the green light comatose state. Even with them fighting, with the pack was the safest place I could be.

Next memory: a loud growl and rumble. It wasn't the kind of growl I was used to, and managed to open my eyes in curiosity. I had someone's arm around my waste, holding me safe whilst everything seemed to bounce around. The heat from behind me and the cut-offs that I could see meant that Ryan was here. Ian 'The shadow' was next to us, driving us in the packs utility truck, the source of the growl. I was getting annoyed at not knowing what was happening; coupled with the sudden 'everyone in a truck and move' thing and I was grumpy. I gave my own version of a growl and shuffled in Ryan's arms to try and see the pack. The chest I was leaning on rumbled a little, laughing at my growl.

Bastard.

Through the small window, I could see the pack, with lots of bags, sitting behind the drive cabin of the truck enjoying the open air whipping past. Jeremy caught my eye and excitedly elbowed the person sitting next to him, gesturing at me.

I had no idea what I looked like, but attention was not what was needed. I temporarily forgave Ryan for laughing at me, focused on the green light to see it was doing its job nicely and then disappeared into oblivion, again.

Suddenly, I was back in the house with Ryan dying in front of me. Everyone was shouting, the noise keeping me from concentrating.

I cried out and jerked forward, the most movement I'd made since speaking the Word. I felt the swerve of the truck as I scared the crap out of Ian who was still driving. Ryan's arms were suddenly a gentle vice, pulling me back down. I could feel his breath on my neck as he whispered nonsensical nothings to calm me down. His insane body heat and ramblings and the safety of his arms quickly led me back to oblivion.

Oblivion. Calling it sleep would be too kind.

The gentle pulse of green in his heart continued.

There was a shuffle around me. We were in a house again, but not our house. When I managed to open my eyes, they were ground level, lying on a blanket in a large room made from wooden logs. It briefly reminded me of the log cabins you'd see in adverts. There was still the familiar body heat draped around me. I pulled at the arm that was draped nonchalantly across my hip, pulling at the heat. With what seemed like a monumental effort, I managed a half-turn towards the source of the heat. A deep chuckle and movement from the source of the heat pulled me into his chest, wrapping his arms around me to keep me warm. I wasn't so bothered about the warm, I just didn't want the change. To have to focus too much on anything else but the green light in Ryan's heart could be fatal. To him or me, I wasn't sure. I wasn't even sure which was more important.

With a flash, my eyes opened. This wasn't Ryan. The Word meant he had to be close. That was what kept the spell working. This wasn't Ryan! I tried to struggle against the arms that were holding me safe. So weak and inane were my attempts it took the body holding me a while to realise what I was doing.

There was a shout in the distance, and within seconds Ryan had me cradled in his arms.

'Hey.' He mumbled. 'You good?' He asked, worried, but hopeful.

I tried to answer, I really did. All I could manage was a grateful look at his heart, where the green light was fighting off the last of his internal injuries.

I huffed an appreciative smile, and fell back to oblivion with just the pulsing green light in my mind.

The next time I 'woke': There was a fire. It was the brief surge of panic that opened my eyes. It was quiet dark and all I could see was sky and fire. I felt the green light behind me, going strong, so I leisurely took in the scene.

There was a small fire. We were on sand and I could hear the sea. A beach. There was laughter, and I was fairly sure there were voices I didn't recognise.

There were no clouds in the sky, so the stars shone down like a million watching eyes.

'You'd love this.' Jeremy said. He hadn't noticed I was awake, albeit talking to me: he was lying on his back between us and the fire. Moon-bathing in his shorts, with his flip-flops dangling from his feet.

'There's Cassiopeia, the Big Dipper and Little Dipper.' Jeremy was pointing at the star formations as he was reciting them.

'There's Orion The Hunter,' Jeremy paused for a second, 'your favourite. Then there's-'

'Leo.' I mumbled. I felt the intake of breath from the chest behind me, and Jeremy span his head so he could stare at me. My eyes were probably glazed, and the hope on Jeremy's face dimmed. But I had managed to give them something. 'Leo's my favourite.'

The green light pulsed behind me. That was what mattered.

It could have been seconds, or years later that we were back around the fire; my pack on one side, a good sized bonfire in the middle and another group of people on the other. That was all I could get about them, that they were 'other'. Not us. Not 'my pack'. I was still on the blanket that they had bought from the house; but we'd moved. I was in the middle of my pack. Whilst sitting and talking civilly, my pack had arranged themselves in a fighting formation, just in case. Jared and his Beta, Chris, were at the edges of the group ready to charge. The others were between me, Chris and Jared. Ryan held me to his side so he could move quickly, and Jeremy was on my other side.

One of the 'others' made a crude gesture towards me I somehow knew he was going to make, maybe the thing I woke up for. It wasn't a polite gesture, and whilst I couldn't make out what they were saying, I knew we were in hot territory.

I knew the growl was coming before it started, and managed to squeeze Ryan's arm. The slight movement stilled Ryan, which managed to stop Jeremy from taking a step forward. A simple step was a declaration of war in the current climate with wolves.

A realisation: these other people; they were wolves too. The green light was staring to dim, its purpose almost complete.

Then, oblivion.

Suddenly, the fire was gone. The sound of waves crashing on the beach had turned into the chirping of woodland birds. Opening my eyes didn't take the monumental effort that it normally did. I was lying in the crook of somebody's arm, my head on their bare shoulder. The radiating body heat told me it was one of my pack. After a second I matched the scent to our Beta, Chris.

There was a moment of panic. I couldn't feel the gentle pulse of the light I placed in Ryan's heart. My mind raced through everything I could remember, and settled on the last memory of the green light, slowly dimming.

With the Word's job almost complete and Ryan being too far away, the spell had finished. Hopefully it had done enough.

I shuffled around a little, preparing myself to sit up. Moving, not just shuffling, but actually moving was hard. It was like I'd forgotten how limbs were supposed to work together and each action had to be thought about.

I managed to lean slightly away from Chris' body and propped myself up on my elbow.

Chris watched me carefully without moving. Jeremy was leaning against the front porch of the log cabin that I remembered. He leaped from his perch and landed on the other side of Chris. Before he could say anything Chris waved to sit still.

Both of them sat on the lush grass at the front of the cabin wondering whether I was going to stay awake, or go back to my oblivion.

Eventually, Chris shifted onto his side, facing me. He rubbed my arm gently and tried to make eye contact.

'How you feeling?' He asked quietly.

It took me a few seconds to remember how to speak. When I was confident I had most of the control of my mouth and tongue I grumbled a response.

'Hungry.'

Chris barked a laugh and Jeremy beamed a smile.

'Then let's get you fed!' All six foot and three inches of Chris leaped to his feet without a pause. I grumbled at how easy he made it look, and slowly began the process of standing up. I had made it onto all fours and was preparing for the Herculean effort of standing when I felt Jeremy's hands underneath my arms, helping me up.

'Although, you probably want to take a bath or something first.' Chris said, he was walking backwards towards the cabin whilst talking to me. 'You look like crap dude.'

I'm not sure how much of a scowl I could manage, but I gave it my best shot. It must have been slightly noticeable for Chris to raise his hands in defence.

'Hey, just saying.' He turned around and bounded through the door. By the time I had made it to the door, I could hear water running and smell bacon frying.

Looking around the room properly for the first time, it was very different from our spacious house in the north of Oregon. This was a cabin designed for everyday people, not a werewolf pack. The signs of the pack's presence were obvious in the changes they'd made.

The plush furniture had been pushed to the sides of the room. The pack preferred lounging on blankets and cushions that they'd put on the floor. The settee was the only piece of furniture that hadn't been ostracised to the sides of the room. They kept the settee for me, normally close to the fireplace for when the pack were out and I couldn't rely on them for warmth. This time though, the settee was in the middle of the room. I sighed a little when I saw it. The pack would have been sleeping around it, so if anything attacked it would have to go through them before it got to their weakest pack member.

Jeremy gave me a reassuring smile and ushered me towards a corridor to the left. I could see Chris in a room through a doorway on the other side of the living room. The doorway was to the side of the biggest fireplace I had ever seen. It was unlit, and probably would stay that way as they wouldn't have need of it.

Down the corridor and on the left was the bathroom. Spacious, but not exuberant, I hadn't realised how much a bath was a good idea until I saw the steam rising from the hot water plunging into the ornate bathtub. My shoulders relaxed just looking at it.

'You going to be okay?' Jeremy asked.

'I'll manage.' I smiled back, barely taking my eyes away from the clean water.

'I put your stuff in that cupboard and I'll bring you some fresh clothes.' Jeremy disappeared out of the door.

I shuffled over to the cupboard and pulled the dark oak door open. The cupboard had shelves from floor to ceiling. Fresh towels filled the bottom few shelves, along with a few bathrobes.

On one of the middle shelves was my toiletry bag. I'd never gone for commercial shampoos or bath scents. The pack had heightened sense even when human, and suffocating them with citrus scented Head and Shoulders wouldn't have been appreciated.

I did however, have a selection of bath oils that I'd made myself. Most had some purpose or medicinal use: cramp bark and rosemary helped relax ceased muscles and blood flow, tea tree was a good antiseptic, and so on.

I picked lavender oil from the small canvas bag. I inherited my 'special talents' from my mother's line, and my Nan had taught me how to make oils, lavender being her favourite. As drained as I was, a relaxing bath that reminded me of learning the Arts seemed appropriate.

I must have been daydreaming longer than I thought because Jeremy was back in the room. He put some clothes on the counter by the sink and took a couple of steps to me. He was the shortest of the pack, but he was still an easy six foot and broad enough to give anyone pause before causing him trouble.

He slowly put his arms around me and pulled me into a gentle hug. I put my hands on his back and gave him a gentle squeeze.

'Missed you.' He whispered as he let go. 'Don't do that again?'

I huffed a small laugh. 'Only if I have to.' I rubbed his arm with what I hoped was reassurance. Jeremy watched me with interest as I poured some oil into the steaming water of the bath.

Jeremy had probably spent hours watching me make oils, diffusions and poultices. He had said he found watching me work relaxing. I said he was daft.

'Jeremy,' I said, feeling the building trepidation, 'how long was I 'out'?'

'Today was the fourth day.' He said. 'Felt like longer though.'

Four days huh? I could live with that; it could have been a hell of a lot worse. Jeremy smiled and left me to my bath. I closed the door behind him and slid the lock on the door.

I couldn't imagine not living with the pack now, but they're social animals to the very end. Life was lived with no thought that everything you did wouldn't be known, seen or experienced by everyone else. Whilst I loved every single bloody one of them, I wasn't a wolf and sometimes needed to just 'be me'. Hence a locked door was a sign that I was having that time. It had only been a little while ago that I realised how seriously Jared enforced it among the pack. I'd come out of my room at the house in Oregon to find that Jared had sent the pack on an extra patrol to give me the house to myself. When Jeremy disturbed my meditation because he came back early to show me some plants he thought I'd need, Jared had sent him on laps of the Deschutes National Forest. The forest itself was over 230 miles away.

The bath water was more incredible than I thought it was going to be. I could feel the muscles in my back start to unwind. There was a knot in my neck that I knew wasn't going to go anywhere for a few days, but I would take what I could get. I breathed the lavender in deep and felt it calm the anxiety I hadn't realised had accompanied my four days of oblivion. I was mentally and physically exhausted, but I was relaxed and happy. I couldn't wait to see everyone again; I hadn't known how long I'd been out, but it had felt like forever. I hated the idea that everyone had been so worried.

I'd been in the bath long enough for my fingers to start to wrinkle and the water to go lukewarm. With a great show of will power, I hauled myself out of the bath and wrapped myself in the fluffiest towel I'd ever seen. Seriously, it was like a length of cotton wool.

I managed to get on the canvas slacks that Jeremy had brought me, as well as a large maroon hoodie. Comfy and warm, just what I wanted.

Opening the door of the bathroom, the steam fled the room in a rush as it met the cold air. Jeremy was crouched by the opposite wall, waiting for me. His brown hair was long enough to cover his eyes when he held his head down. I gave him a tired smile and nodded towards the kitchen. He got up with a puppy-like bound and walked with me. I put my hand on his shoulder just to steady myself a little as we went.

Through the living space and into the kitchen, everything smelt of bacon. I was nearly drooling by the time I got to Chris who had made the biggest bacon sandwich he could have possible managed. It was like a skyscraper, but with more bread.

I went to take the plate from him when he pulled it away and held it behind him. He held out his other arm for a hug.

'You're black mailing me for affection with a bacon sandwich.' I said, deadpan.

'Yep.'

I shrugged my shoulders and walked into his outstretched arm. He wrapped it around me and put his chin on top of my head.

'Welcome back kid.' He said.

'Glad to be home.' I mumbled into his chest. He smelt of sunshine and grass.

'Lavender?' he asked.

I pulled away from him and nodded. I put my hands up, waiting for my sandwich. Chris put the plate in my hands with a grin.

'Bon appétit. Go sit and eat.' He shooed me and Jeremy out of the kitchen into the living room.

Jeremy sat in silence whilst I ploughed through my 'sandwich of immense bacon and colesterol'. It. Was. Good.

When I had finally finished, I put the plate on the floor and fell back onto the sofa.

'Clean, relaxed and full. Happy now.' I said while I rubbed my stomach.

'We have a bed if you need it.' Jeremy said.

'I'm shattered, but I've spent four days asleep.' Chris walked out of the kitchen having cleaned up from his bout of cooking. Chris cooking didn't happen very often.

'Can we go to the beach?' I asked Chris.

'Hell yeah!' Chris said with a beaming smile. 'Didn't think you'd be up for it.'

'I can get there and back on my own steam, although I doubt I'll be up for Frisbee.' I laughed at Chris' sad pout.

A few minutes later and we were making the walk to the beach. We'd left a note saying where we were. Jeremy had made a point of not mentioning I was awake, wanting to enjoy the pack's surprise. Chris had brought some of those small portable barbecues with him and a stack of burgers and sausages. He was insistent that I had four days worth of food to make up for. It seemed that making up for it involved eating as much cow and pig as possible.

The walk was pleasant, and took us through some forest before we came out on the beach. It had been raining the night before and the leaves of the trees glistened with moisture.

The beach wasn't too wet, and I was happy to watch over the cooking burgers whilst Chris and Jeremy played some version of rugby that I didn't know the rules to. As I watched, I was fairly sure that there actually weren't any rules.

Whilst sitting by the barbecue I let my mind settle. I wasn't meditating exactly, but you could be forgiven for not noticing the difference.

I felt the damp sand of the beach and listened to the gulls above us. A gentle breeze took my thoughts into the nearby forest. I felt the life pulsing through it. The sturdy spirits of the trees that lined the beach, the flashes of insect life that seemed so short compared to the trees they lived on. I touched the mind of a falcon as it glided the pockets of warm air. I felt the wind through its feathers as it spotted its prey and dove through the branches. All the while I was pulling energy slowly from the world around me, helping me recharge my batteries even if it was just a little.

I came back into myself just in time to stop the burgers from burning. I shouted the boys over to help themselves. Bounding over, their smiles were infectious. Chris ruffled my hair before carefully picking a burger of the grill and handing it to me in a bun.

We 'chinked' our burgers as if they were champagne flutes and sat on the blankets munching away.

'So, fill me in. What's going on?' I said, then taking another bite of my burger. Guess I was hungrier than I thought.

'Jared knew that the pack here was having problems with vampires.' Jeremy blurted through a mouthful. I gave him a playful tap on his foot at his manners. Jeremy had managed to get ketchup on the white t-shirt he was wearing.

'Their Alpha, Sam, had called us about a month ago to warn that we might see some coming through our forests.' Chris continued. He helped himself to another burger and stretched out on the blanket. He was wearing bright yellow and pink knee-length shorts that often made me laugh. A six foot three tower of muscle that could turn into a nearly seven foot killer wolf, and he wore pink and yellow shorts. Go figure. Oregon got a little more sun than Forks, which meant that with all the time they spent outside and there seeming aversion to shirts, my pack were nicely tanned.

'Jared thanked him for the heads up and said they'd keep each other updated.' Chris continued, running a hand through his short, brown hair.

'One of the vampires got Ryan?' I asked.

Chris nodded. 'We don't know if it was planned or if they just crossed paths.'

'What happened to it?' I asked.

Jeremy answered first, 'Miriam got him. He was in pieces before we even got there.'

Miriam was the only female wolf in the pack. She was tall, like the rest, but a touch paler. Her features were slight and her raven black hair fell just short of her waste. She was also part of the only couple in the pack that had imprinted.

Miriam was a qualified physiotherapist, whether that was what gave her the special talent she had for fighting vampires I wasn't sure, but she knew exactly what to push which way to break one. She'd taught the pack techniques she'd developed to help them fight, but nobody did it better that her.

I nodded approval.

'After Ryan was better, Jared, well,' Jeremy paused, 'he was, angry.'

'That's putting it mildly.' Chris said. 'The business of another pack had brought vampires to our door, had nearly killed Ryan and we weren't sure what was happening with you.

'Jared was talking about war, but I managed to calm him down enough for him to talk to us and think it through.'

'Wow.' I mumbled, I looked up at Chris with an impish grin, 'you were going to go to war for me?'

Chris didn't smile back, just looked at me from his laid back position. He didn't move, but suddenly he was dangerous, radiating menace: pink and yellow shorts and all. He was now a creature ready to break someone, anyone.

'Yes.' He said, simply. There was silence for a few seconds whilst Chris looked at me, making sure I understood.

'You're pack.' Jeremy said, 'they hurt you, we pull their stomachs out through their nose.'

'Ah, Jeremy, that's the sweetest thing you've ever said.' I laughed, holding a hand to my heart and pretending to cry a little. Jeremy threw some of his burger bun at me, catching me square in the face.

Our antics had pulled Chris out of his serious mood as he laughed at my indignant, and ketchup marked face. He handed me a paper napkin, then lay back on his blanket.

'This was the first vampire we knew of that had been in our territory, and it had done damage. All of us wanted blood. Fighting our own though didn't seem right. We packed the truck and told Sam and his pack to expect us.'

'We didn't ask for permission?' I asked, confused. The interactions between werewolves were different than ordinary people, but I had gotten pretty good at understanding it. However, there were still things I got wrong, but as far as I knew, 'inviting yourself' to another packs land was generally received badly.

'Nope.' Chris said with a shake of his head and a mouth full of burger. 'He made it clear that we were coming to help and that it was now personal for our pack. I'm not sure how Sam took it, but things sorted themselves out when we got here.'

'The meeting at the bonfire?' I asked.

Jeremy nodded. 'It was kind of cool before the Alphas got there. It was fun playing ball with other wolves.'

Again, Jeremy could make me laugh. Eighteen, built like a heavy weight boxer, six foot tall and six foot at the shoulder when he was a killer juggernaut of wolf-like destruction. But 'it was kind of cool to play ball'.

'I can't imagine the meeting itself went without a hitch.' I said, chucking some more burgers onto the small barbecue.

'Two Alphas sharing the same territory doesn't happen.' Chris said, 'It was essentially Sam and Jared negotiating how it'd work, with the packs providing back up if things went bad.'

'One of the Quileutes was out of line.' Jeremy growled.

'Yes.' Chris agreed, 'but weirdly, you picked that time to wake up and calm Ryan down. Nicely timed.' Chris saluted me with his burger.

'Can't explain that one, I'm afraid,' I said, 'although I'm sure said Quileute will have a good explanation when he meets me.' I said it with a smile, but Chris knew how difficult I could be and chuckled. He then started choking on his burger as he was laughing.

Jeremy gave Chris a slap on his bag, definitely harder than what was needed. Chris stopped choking and looked at him from the corner of his eye.

'Gee, thanks.' He mumbled.

'No worries!' Jeremy said, obviously delighted.

'Anyway, we agreed that whilst each Alpha has ultimate control over their own packs, Jared is to follow Sam's lead whilst in his territory.' Chris said.

'Sounds fair.' I nodded.

'There was another complication.' Jeremy said, looking at me with worry. I knew this wasn't going to be good.

'Oh God, what?'

'They wanted to know about you.' Chris growled. 'They knew you weren't a wolf, but they could sense something and wanted details.'

Ah crap. Without a decent and diplomatic explanation, that might have gone really badly.

'What did you tell them.' I whispered, really quite worried.

'Nothing!' Jeremy said, very enthusiastically. Chris raised him hand slightly at Jeremy, signalling for him to calm down.

'Jeremy reminded us that you've always been very careful with what you tell and to whom. Jared refused to tell them anything. He said that it was up to you to explain what you felt best.'

Jared. Now there was a character. Actually younger than Chris, but he was a natural leader and loved every member of his pack. At nearly six foot seven and another heavy weight boxer frame, he led his pack with confidence and pride. Not to mention that if anyone ever got out of line, the fight would be very one-sided. The welfare of the pack was always first, for him to have stood by my privacy was incredible, and heart-warming.

'The idiot of a Quileute who nearly had his head ripped off by Ryan suggested that Jared wasn't Alpha enough to command a human.' Jeremy growled.

Huh. An open insult to our Alpha with two packs waiting for something to go wrong. How weren't we all dead?

Chris laughed. 'One of the other Quileutes slapped him upside the head and Sam apologised for him. Weirdly, it might have been the insult that made Sam agree to Jared's terms.'

'Okay then: that could have all gone horribly wrong.' I said, finishing off my burger. I know I had some days worth of eating to make up for, but I think I'd just eaten a cow. Well, maybe not a whole cow.

Chris sat up and reached over to me. He pulled me onto his blanket and wrapped me up in a hug against his chest. His arms wound around mine and his legs circled me, lying on top of mine. I was warm and safe. I also couldn't move. At all.

'You're pack.' Chris said as if that explained some deep and complicated question. 'Totally worth it.' He said, breathing in the lavender smell from my hair. One of Chris' fingers twitched into my ribs.

'Noooo.' I whined as he started to tickle me. Totally pinned into his chest, there wasn't a great deal I could do.

'Uh oh. No mojo to break you out, huh?' Chris laughed, continuing his onslaught.

'Jeremy! Help!' I called out, my voice muffled by Chris' arms.

'Ooh, we haven't cooked the sausages yet.' Was his response. Seriously? I was being attacked by a tower of malicious tickle-tactics and Jeremy was on about sausages. I'd get him later.

Chris continued tickling me, chuckling at me as I squirmed. I mustered up what energy I'd gathered earlier and with a quick burst, managed enough strength to squirm out of his arms. Chris was obviously not trying too hard to keep me still. I stood a few feet away from him, bent low in a crouch with my hands raised. Chris sat there on his blanket with a knowing smile on his face. I'd just presented him with a challenge.

Great.

With slow, deliberate movements, Chris flowed to his feet. In his pink and yellow shorts, he was all predator, prowling towards me with a glint in his eye.

From his spot by the sausages, Jeremy yelled 'For Victory!' and leapt at Chris, knocking him to the ground. They rolled around, a blur of sand, pink and yellow. Okay, I'd forgive Jeremy for his late intervention.

Laughing at them as they went, Chris managed to get loose, and it wasn't until he had Jeremy in a head lock and giving him a noogie that I heard it.

Voices.

Familiar voices.

It wasn't until I heard them that I really realised just how much I'd missed them. Six figures made their way out of the woods, with three or four Quileutes chatting with them. They were slowly ambling towards Chris and Jeremy, who had stopped wrestling and were looking at each other with big smiles.

Miriam noticed first. 'Look!'

I was kneeling on the blanket, and could make out the expressions of the pack members. Jared was smiling with relief, a weight of his shoulders. Miriam was shocked, Jack, her mate waved at me enthusiastically. Ian was at the back trying to get through, and Ryan was stood still, staring at me with no expression at all. Charlie was at the back with the Quileutes.

As if in slow motion, the pack started running towards me. Ryan was built for speed and outstripped the rest of the pack quickly. Still no expression on his face, and also no sign of slowing down, I braced myself for impact.

There was no collision that knocked me to the ground. Instead I was swept up in familiar steel arms and spun around. Ryan's head was dug into my neck as we span around. Eventually he put me down and I felt the sea lapping at our ankles.

His arms were still tight around me and his face buried in my neck. His arms tightened when I tried to move.

'Hey, you okay?' I asked him, rubbing his bare back. He snapped his head back and looked down into my eyes. His face was a mix of anger and relief.

'What were you doing?' he growled at me, moving his hands so they were holding my arms.

'Wh-' Ryan's hands tightened and he shook me a little.

'It wasn't worth it.' He said, his face was inches from mine. 'You could have died.'

'Ryan,' I tried again.

'No. Don't you ever, ever take the risk. You hear me?' He shook me a little again to get his point across.

'You were dying.' I whispered. His hands tightened painfully around my arms.

'You won't do it again.' Ryan threatened, staring me down. My eyes flashed green with what little power I had left. I smacked his hands away and with the extra strength my power lent me, I grabbed the back of his head and pulled our foreheads together.

'You're pack.' I growled out, my power gave a weird echo to my voice. 'Totally worth it.'

Ryan gave me another hug just as the rest of the pack caught up with him. Ryan stepped away and I was immediately enveloped by Miriam. Her long black hair was tied into a pony tail that whipped around in the breeze. She squealed as she hugged me and gave me another spin. Ugh, I was getting a bit nauseous, having just eaten a cow and now being spun around. Jack came to my rescue and pulled me into another hug, but without the spinning.

'You look good!' He said, slapping me on the shoulder.

'So much better.' Miriam beamed.

Charlie and his brother Ian pulled me towards them. Once again enveloped by arms and heat, it was good to be back.

'Scare the shit out of me like that again, and I'll be really pissed at you.' Charlie grumbled. Ian just smiled at me and nodded to something over my shoulder.

I turned around to see Jared, his relieved smile still on his face. He stepped towards me and pulled me to his chest. One of his massive hands held the back of my head; the other was at the bottom of my back. His slow, definite heart beat resounding through his chest. Jared was the only one who smelt of wolf in his human form.

'Hey boss.' I muttered.

'Hey you.' He said into my hair. Having just finished patrol, Jared was just wearing jogging trousers. His immense height and build should, and would, scare the crap out of anybody. But to the pack, he was our strength.

Slowly letting me go, he stepped to the side and gestured to the three Quileutes that were with them.

'These are members of our hosting pack.' Jared said.

'A pleasure,' I said with a smile, 'I'm sorry I wasn't in a better state to greet you the last time we met.'

Apart from a difference in skin colour, they were of a similar build to those in my pack. Tall, built and didn't like shirts.

One of them stepped forward.

'Not a problem,' he said, 'I take it you had it rough for a while. I'm Embry, this is Seth and Paul.'

I did a double take on Paul. This was the guy who nearly caused trouble with Ryan at the pack meeting. Seeing my double take, he at least had the decency to look embarrassed.

'It's a long story.' I said. 'But we have some burgers left and a load of sausages if you want a story?' I asked. I gave Jared a quick glance to make sure he approved, and smiled at his encouraging nod.

Seth, the youngest of the three pulled on Embry's arm.

'Sam should be here for that.' He mumbled. Embry's face fell and he looked conflicted.

'Not a problem,' I said, 'the story can wait.'

'In the mean time,' Chris said quietly, 'let's get this party started!' Miriam howled at the near twilight sun, and everybody laughed or joined in.

Within minutes, the bonfire was being rebuilt, Jack had gone to the house to get more food and Ian and Charlie had gone into town to get alcohol and more food.

Jeremy appeared with a stereo and music was soon playing. There was a Frisbee flying, a rugby ball sailed across the sky and laughter and banter created a warm glow in my chest.

I was on strict 'chill out' orders. Miriam was sat behind me next to the slowly building bonfire trying to work-out the knot I had in my neck.

'Sweet Jesus, what did you do to get this?' She reprimanded.

'Just natural talent I guess.' I winced as her fingers dug into my neck. 'Where do you think Paul went?'

Miriam flicked her head up, her brown eyes scanned the twilight beach. 'Huh, hadn't realised he was gone; probably to tell Sam that the subject of his curiosity is awake.'

'Is Sam cool?' I asked. Miriam laughed and moved her hands down my back, investigating any other problems.

'You're asking me? You are the soul-reader, diplomat person-ey thing.' Miriam was good with muscles and talking, that was her strength to the pack. My talents, besides the 'special' ones, were reading people and stopping bad things before they happened.

'I just want to know what I'm dealing with.' I said quietly, 'We've moved home for this, and Jared has negotiated a treaty and is taking his lead from someone else. I don't want to mess this up.'

Miriam put her face over my shoulder and looked me in the eye.

'If Sam has a problem with you, he can talk to me first.' She growled, I winced at the pressure she put on a new found knot in the middle of my back.

'Sorry.' She mumbled and then focused on working out the knots in my muscles.

The other two Quileutes, Seth and Embry were playing ball with Jeremy and Chris, although they seemed to be playing by the 'non-rules' I observed earlier. Jared was stood to the side, watching the scene. Nothing was happening he didn't know was going to.

I took the time Miriam was using to work on my back to build up some energy. What I'd used to get away from Chris and Ryan had drained my reserves. The ocean was so close I could feel it calling to me. The life in it was unbelievable: the algae, so many different sizes of fish, coral and the spirit of it all-

I jerked myself away from it and into the forest. The ocean was not my place. I lived for the trees and birds and insects and wolves. I had no traction in the sea, no anchor. I'd be lost in eddies and tides and it could take an eternity to find my way back again. The call of the water and its power was not worth the risk of leaving my pack again.

I felt a rustle next to me, and soon I could feel the warmth of a body sat next to mine. With my eyes still shut, I breathed in the scent of wet grass and tree sap. I reached out a hand and touched his arm.

'Hey Ryan.' I sighed, Miriam was working wonders.

Ryan didn't say anything, but I felt him rolling up the sleeve of my hoodie. I opened my eyes to look at him and saw the sorrow on his face. Looking down, I could see the hand-shaped bruise on my arm he'd caused earlier.

Sad eyes met mine. He took a deep breath, as if about to leap into an abyss of apology and guilt.

'Shut up.' I mumbled, before he had a chance. I put my arm around his neck and gave him a gentle tug towards me. Miriam huffed a laugh, but carried on with her magic hands.

'Thanks for looking after me.' I said to Ryan, his head against mine. He looked at me with shock and looked like he was about to argue.

'Nope, don't want to hear it.' I attempted to growl. 'I helped you, then you helped me. That's how it works. Yes?' I raised an eyebrow with the best teacher-stare I could manage. Ryan smirked at me and nudged my cheek with his nose.

'Got your back.' He whispered. I smiled at him, but it quickly faded when he stood up, his eyes locked on something over my shoulder.

The music was still playing, but everything had gotten so much quieter. Miriam and Ryan were stood defensively in front of me. Chris and Jeremy were no longer playing ball, but walking backwards towards the bonfire, their eyes on something in the distance.

The sun was setting in a blaze of red and orange, but the newly lit bonfire would soon be my only source of light in a few minutes time.

Through the silhouettes of my pack, I could see a group of people making their way towards the bonfire. There approach was steady, but determined. Jared slowly moved from his place at the edge of the group and made his way to intercept the incoming pack.

Sam and his pack members behind him came to a stop a few feet away from the bonfire. Jared was stood opposite him, Chris slightly behind him and Charlie and Ian either side of them.

'Sam.' Jared nodded a greeting.

'Jared.' Sam returned the gesture. Sam looked older than either Chris or Jared, but was in just as good a shape and looked good in jeans and a fitted shirt.

'We heard you were having a party,' Sam continued, 'can we join you?' As Sam asked, a couple of his pack pulled out cases of beer, food, someone had brought a music system but waved the CD's at Jeremy.

Jared smiled and stepped aside, inviting them to join us. Jeremy howled as he rugby-tackled Embry to the ground and they started a ball game. The Quileutes dispersed amongst my pack, I thought it looked a little unnatural, but they were probably under orders to make nice. That, or find out as much about us as they could.

Miriam touched my shoulder and gave me a smile as she left to join Jack. The only female member of the Quileute pack had made her way over to him, and I'm sure Miriam didn't want to be left out.

Ryan hadn't moved from my side. He was trying to watch everyone on the beach and his shoulders were tensed.

I didn't have a lot of energy left, but I didn't want an angry Ryan when there was a beach full of trouble just waiting to happen.

I put my hand on his shoulder and tried to give it a reassuring squeeze. If Miriam had done it, he would be rolling on his back and asking for a belly rub; I just got an acknowledged grunt.

I saw my eyes pulse a bright green in a pocket of sea water. I sent the energy through my hand into Ryan's tense muscles. My talents were based in nature, controlling someone else's will was an abomination. However, relaxing the muscles and calming the mind often let people take a better course of action than when they were over exerted, or in Ryan's case, plain angry.

I felt him relax against my hand. He slouched a little and looked at me with a frown.

'I keep letting you down.' He mumbled. I looked at him with a slight smile and happy eyes.

'No, you don't. We'll talk later, but for tonight, go and have fun.' I said back. Ryan's eyes flicked to Sam and the other Quileute I didn't know who was still standing by his side.

'I'm going to have to talk to him.' I said, 'And you're not going to like it.' Ryan's growl was all the response I needed.

'He's going to ask me questions, and I'm going to answer them, even the ones I don't like.' Ryan pulled me into his arms and locked me to his chest. This seemed to be happening a lot.

'No.' I felt the growl in his chest.

'Yes.' I said simply. His arms were gentle, but Ryan was putting everything into keeping me close. I didn't have enough power to break free if I needed to. His arms tensed around me ever so slightly.

'The pack has moved here because of us.' I said, 'and we have a fight to win, but it's not with our own kind.' Ryan's growl rumbled in his chest. He looked odd without the green light pulsing in his chest.

'I can set us on the right path Ryan; I can get us to work together.' His arms didn't relax, but I felt him breathe in the lavender smell from my hair.

'Let me do what I'm good at. Go and have fun.' I twisted to an uncomfortable angle so I could look him in the eye. 'And just so you know, Chris was tickling me earlier, it was like torture.'

Ryan's eyes held laughter, but it didn't touch his face.

'You saved me.' He whispered.

'You guys have saved me a hundred times over, this was pay back.' I said, 'but if you want to pay a price, go tackle Chris for me, he deserves it.'

Ryan kissed my forehead, then bounded over me, towards where Chris and Jeremy were playing ball.

It wasn't often I was absent of body heat or company, only those times I locked the door. This time there was the sea breeze cutting through my hoodie and the chilled night air, cool before the coming rain.

Jared was stood talking to Sam: a simple enough observation, but not with a wolf-politics overview. Even though we were on Quileute soil, it would have been rude for Sam to walk around Jared whilst he was blocking his path. Jared's pack was here and it would have been questioning his authority, something they had agreed in their meeting they wouldn't do.

Jared was buying me time to get there.

For the second time today I felt honoured and humbled to be in Jared's pack. Here was an Alpha worth following.

I got to my feet and slowly made my way to Jared's side. Once again, I was drained. Over-emotional werewolves took a lot of energy to deal with.

I stood on Jared's left. He was right-handed, so if any punches were thrown I wouldn't be in the way.

'Sam, I don't believe you've had the pleasure?' Jared said, gesturing to me.

'I haven't.' He said. Raising his eyes to me and holding out his hand, 'My name is Sam, welcome.'

'Thank you, Sam.' I smiled, 'everyone calls me Alex.'

'You're looking in much better health.' He said, he gestured to the person standing to his side and introduced him as Collin.

'I'm going to sit by the fire if you'd like to join me?' I asked Sam. With a knowing smile, he nodded and began to make his way to the fire. Jared caught my eye; he looked worried. I gave him a cheeky wink and jogged after Sam, leaving Collin with Jared. I saw a green disc lying on the beach next to an open ice box of beer. I grabbed the Frisbee and shouted, 'Jared! Think fast!' and threw the Frisbee at him and Collin who looked like they were just stood there in awkward silence.

Jared smiled and caught the Frisbee easily. He looked at Collin with a questioning eye-brow raised. Collin nodded and starting backing up. Frisbee between wolves wasn't an easy sport. Jared threw it hard and high, Collin was startled, but managed to run up the bark of a tree and leap out to grab it. His landing wasn't quite so impressive or graceful, but Frisbee in hand, he looked very pleased with himself.

I sat myself down on a log that had been dragged next to the fire. Sam was sitting a respectable distance from me, but close enough that the crackling fire would stop our conversation from carrying on the sea breeze.

'The land here is beautiful.' I said, gazing at the tree line.

'It really is,' Sam said. His voice was deep and steady. The tenor of his speech and slightly slouched shoulders spoke of trying times for him and his pack. 'I don't think you've seen the cliffs properly yet have you?' I shook my head.

'You can see the most of the forest from up there. When the sun rises it comes up over the trees. Beautiful.' Sam sighed, he turned his head so he could look at me from the corner of his eyes.

'I can understand why you feel so strongly about protecting it.' I said. Sam nodded slowly, now looking back to the fire.

'The vampires threaten my pack and the land.' He stated into the fire.

'We know a little about the vampires plans, we know how dangerous they are, we generally know what to expect and we know how to kill them.' I said, 'What you don't know is what the other pack has brought with them. How dangerous is it, whilst you're fighting the obvious enemy is it going to attack your homes and families.'

Sam turned to face me, a sad but determined look on his face. 'You understand I have many people to protect.'

'Of course.' I replied, and smiled a little to show there was no offence taken here. 'I am happy to cooperate any way I can.'

I heard Jack growl a warning at Jeremy, but he bounded over to where we were sitting anyway. He gave my shoulder a squeeze, nodded at Sam, dropped two cans of beer on the floor between us and then bounded off again like a puppy with no care in the world.

I shook my head and smiled at Sam, offering him one of the beers.

'Good kid.' He said, looking over to Jeremy and the group he was in. There seemed to be some form of rules developing with their ball game.

'Yeah. I can't really compare, but I've got an idea about what it's like to have people to care for.' Sam looked me over with an assessing eye as I watched Jeremy gambol around the others.

'Come on then,' I laughed, 'what have you got for me?'

Sam looked a little lost as to where to start. 'Well, what are you?'

Well, what am I? That was probably one of the hardest questions to answer; I'd been trying for years to figure it out.

'Tricky question.' I started, 'If I'm completely honest, I have no idea.' Sam's expression didn't change, but he nodded at me to continue.

'Jeremy calls my 'talents' witchcraft,' Sam's raised his shoulders, his expression becoming wary. I had expected a reaction similar to this, even these days the W word makes people careful. 'But then, I'm not sure what makes something witchcraft. You can turn into a massive wolf, but I wouldn't call it witchcraft.'

'Okay,' Sam held his hands up, 'what about these talents?'

'They're earth and nature based.' I said, hoping that this would ease him into it. 'When I have a little more energy I can use it to help me keep up with the pack: running, fighting, things like that.'

Sam nodded his understanding; this wasn't outside his frame of reference. Now came the tricky part. 'If I need to, I can try and affect the world around me.'

'How so?' I wasn't sure if there was more anxiety in his voice, or curiosity.

'Basic things like turning dry earth into thick, sticking mud. I can touch the minds of animals and see what they see. I was once told that anyone bound to the planet like we were could change the weather, but I've never come close to that.'

'You said, "we were".' Sam noticed, 'Who was this other person?'

Bollocks, hadn't meant to give that away.

'My Nan. Her and my mum taught me a lot, the rest I figured out on my own.'

'So these talents came to you through the women of your family?'

I shook my head, 'apparently, it started with my Nan's father; my great-grandfather, but we don't know a lot about him.'

Sam seemed to be relaxing a little bit, but I could still tell he had more questions.

'You and the pack?' He asked, pointing over his shoulder at the packs.

'Guess that one's kind of simple. I was in the woods near their land. We crossed paths, and after a bit of a misunderstanding with Chris we all became good friends. I fitted in with the pack easily and we have talents that complement each other.'

Sam looked me straight in the eyes. 'There's more to it than that.' He whispered.

I nodded back at him, 'we think there is too. We've wondered about a kind of 'pack imprint'. They found someone who could be part of their pack, would strengthen it, but wasn't a wolf. How to ensure such a person sticks with the pack? A kind of pack mentality to strengthen the bound between pack and person.'

Sam stared into the distance for a short while before saying, 'I've never heard of such a thing.'

'We haven't either, but to be honest, we're not questioning a good thing.' I smiled and took a swig from the beer can.

Sam sat in silence for the time being. I could nearly see the wheels in his brain working while he stared into the orange and yellow of the fire.

Finally, he took a deep breath in and relaxed his shoulders.

'Having two packs in one piece of territory is difficult. There is always the possibility for conflict.' I nodded my understanding, but didn't interrupt.

'Jared is a strong Alpha, and I am confident he can keep his pack together.' Sam took a swig from his beer. 'You were the unknown, and a single unknown could bring it all down. But I've seen how your pack protects you, and I've seen how you care for them.'

Sam stood from the log and held his hand out to me. I let out an internal sigh of relief and shook his hand.

'Welcome to La Push.' He smiled.

'Thank you for having me.' I said with a chuckle.

'Remind me to get one of my guys to show you the cliffs sometime.' Sam said, nodding to some of his pack over his shoulder.

'I'd love that.' I replied, nodding my head probably a bit to enthusiastically.

Sam smiled at me and then jogged over to a small group. Looking around, I was pleased to see that there was no 'my pack' or 'their pack' groups. Everyone was making an effort to mingle and get to know one another. I wasn't entirely convinced that the motives were just social, but for now everyone was getting along.

I sat myself back down on the log by the fire. So far the evening was turning out great, I was just shattered. After a minute or two of staring at the fire, I heard soft padding footsteps behind me. I caught the scent of fur and husk just before Jared shuffled me off the log and onto the sand between it and the fire.

Without the slightest effort, Jared pulled me onto his lap and his massive hands squeezed me to his chest. As sweet as it was that everyone felt so protective, I was going to start calling this hug-rape.

Jared let out a breath as if he was trying to calm himself down. He gave me a gentle squeeze and then moved his arms so I could move to the side. I sat on the sand next to him with my legs still on his. His shoulder was a bit too far up for me to reach, so I settled for lying against his arm.

'I'm sorry.' He whispered.

'What?' What was he apologising for?

'We're in another packs land, you're not your strongest and I just handed you to another Alpha.' He said, staring sadly into the fire.

'All necessary.' I said, 'All understandable and I wouldn't have done it any other way.' Jared gave me a sad smile and put his arm around my shoulders. I hadn't realised how cold I'd gotten until I felt his body warmth chasing away the breeze.

'I want you to do me a favour.' Jared said. Warning bells went off in my head. Jared was a good and inspiring leader, but as a wolf Alpha, he didn't ask for favours: he said, you did, that was how it worked.

He looked down at me to see if I was listening. I nodded for him to continue.

'You scared us.' He started, 'It was only a few days, but we didn't know what was going to happen. Everyone was, tense.'

Jared stopped to take a breath and look around the different groups on the beach.

'You're still not at full strength and the pack is feeling a tad protective.' I laughed at that, just a tad protective he thought?

I felt Jared laugh next to me, 'I'm being serious: Charlie and Ian want to wrap you in bubble-wrap and carry you back home.'

'No chance.' I said with a smile, catching Jared's eye. He knew what I meant; the pack's here, so I'm here.

'I know, but I'd like you to steer clear of the other pack.' He said. 'It would only take a little thing, a joke that someone took the wrong way, or a rough tackle in a game and tempers could flare.'

I nodded my understanding. An overprotective wolf pack whilst in another pack's territory could lead to serious problems.

'You got it boss.' I managed to say before I yawned into my hand.

'And on that note,' Jared shifted up a little and waved his hand at someone. Ian ran over to us with a big grin on his face.

'Jared, you should come join the game: it's awesome!' He laughed.

'Maybe later.' Jared said, getting to his feet and helping me up on the way.

'Whoa, looks like someone needs to crash.' Ian said.

'Do I look that bad?' I asked Jared, he raised his hands in defence.

'I didn't say anything.' He said innocently. Ian had turned back to the group and thrown the ball back to them.

'Come on, let's get you home.' Ian said, linking his arm with mine.

'I don't want to take you out of your gam-' was what I managed before I yawned again.

'Uh huh, let's go.' Ian used my arm to navigate me up the path. Without some energy reserves to help, I was walking in pitch black and Ian caught me a couple of times on the way home.

When we finally got back to the house, it was cold, empty and dark. I dropped onto the sofa that someone had moved next to the fire whilst Ian lit some candles around the room.

Ian had dark, jet black hair that fell with a slight wave just over his ears. Just wearing black shorts, you could see his build was that of an athlete: a swimmer or runner. Occasionally we called him Shadow: he could disappear into the forest and be almost invisible. Nobody moved so quietly or quickly as him, which was impressive for someone who was six foot three.

He grabbed a blanket off the back of a chair and sat on the sofa next to me. He sat upright in the corner, with his legs stretched out across the settee. He pulled my hand towards him and I curled up on his chest. He smelt like the forest just before dawn, when it was filled with dew and moisture in the air. Instantly I could feel the incredible body heat lulling me to sleep.

Warm, calm and comfortable. My pack was here, safe and we were all together.

Perfect.


	2. The Meeting

The first thing I noticed waking up was the heat to my side and the smell of musk and fur. During the night I had been pulled next to Jared. I must have been in a deep sleep to not notice everyone coming home, not to mention being moved around on the sofa. Ian was lying on the floor with the rest of the pack. Miriam and Jack were curled up together and the rest of the pack was a mass of limbs. Jeremy was stretched out at Chris' side, his head on his chest. Ryan was curled up on the other side of Chris, and Ian was using Ryan's side as a pillow. Charlie was lying at the base of the sofa snoring quietly.

Ian wouldn't have stayed on the sofa if he knew Jared was here. Apparently it was a status thing.

I fought the urge to stretch out so I didn't wake anybody and did a quick internal check. I had definitely been out of it when I feel asleep. Waking up this morning I felt like a new person. I wasn't back to my normal self just yet, but I was definitely up for some fun.

Trying not to wake Jared, I slowly moved the blanket off me. Jared's face hadn't moved and his chest rose and fell with deep breaths. Phase one complete, I slowly started to lift myself off his chest. Success! Now I needed to slip off the sofa and most importantly, not tread on Charlie.

Jared's arm pulled me back to his chest with a thud. I sighed and looked up at his face. It hadn't changed, and his chest still rose and sank with deep, sleep filled breaths.

An eye opened and looked down at me. 'Morning.' He mumbled.

I looked up at him with a grin. 'Pancakes?' I asked.

His arm quickly moved to let me up. Our quite discussion had already woken Ian who was looking around from his position on the floor, leaning on Ryan's side.

'Pancakes?' he grumbled, still half asleep.

I smiled a little as I slipped off the sofa without standing on Charlie's head, which was quite a feat when I had just woken up. By the time I'd whisked up a pancake mix, most of the pack was awake. Jeremy was bounding around the kitchen trying to be helpful, but was far too awake for my liking.

Eventually Miriam grabbed him by the arm and suggested he make coffee, and quietly, less he endanger himself to those not so amenable in the morning. A few minutes later, a still grinning Jeremy gave me a hug and a hot cup of coffee. I took a moment to breathe it in before I asked him to start chopping bacon and mushrooms. Savoury pancakes were the stuff of legends. When the pack was digging into coffee and pancakes, I took a minute to get to the bathroom. A quick shower and a new set of clothes and I felt even better. I was wearing a simple long-sleeved top and jeans; they were comfy and were easy to move in. Out of the bathroom and into the kitchen, I managed to grab the last pancake before Jack.

'How you feelin' kid?' Chris asked as he took a bite from his pancake.

I looked around the kitchen and living room, at the bustle of my pack. I smiled up at him with a toothy grin.

'Good, really good.' I said, and meant it. 'I'd like to go running with you guys later.'

'Yeah?' Jeremy was suddenly at my shoulder, 'that'd be great! There are these amazing waterfalls, and the-'

'We'll see.' Jared's tone wasn't severe, but there was no argument here. 'I spoke with Sam a little more last night. The main leader of the vampires, Victoria, was killed a couple of days before we got here. That doesn't mean her little army is completely destroyed.' Jared looked at me with a kind authority, 'don't get cocky.'

'Promise I won't.' I said, 'But I'm a lot better and sometime in the woods with the wolves would be good.'

'I've always wondered why you like spending so much time with us when we're wolves.' Ian splurged through the pancake he was eating.

'It's because you can't talk back.' Ian started choking, and Miriam laughed with me. Jared and Chris looked a little startled, like they'd never really thought about it.

'Even so-' Jared said, still unsure.

'What about some sparring first? Make sure you're fighting fit before we take you into the forest?' Chris said, waggling his eyebrows at me.

'So eager to have your ass handed to you.' I laughed, 'And what was that about 'taking' me into the forest? You'd be eating dust before you knew I was gone.'

'Oooh,' Charlie did a little drum roll on the doorframe. 'Me thinks thems are fightin' words!'

I looked at Jared quickly, who shrugged at me. The meaning was clear, do what you want, but don't come crying to me if the massive werewolf hurts you.

'Come on then,' Miriam pulled me towards the door, her voice was suddenly a whisper, 'remember, he's much stronger than you, even with your power. Stay low, keep it fast and don't let him grab you.'

I squeezed her shoulder in thanks. I'd sparred with Chris loads of times but it was nice to know she was rooting for me. As I made it outside past the porch, I knew Chris was right behind me. I could hear Jack cheering him on and Ian told him to take it easy on me. Phff, his mistake if he did.

I turned to face Chris, and just managed to duck out of the way of an incoming jab. Chris had his fists up and was already moving around me on the balls of his feet. Jeremy looked like he was about to burst in excitement, looking from me to Chris, unsure about who to cheer on. Jared stood at the top of the porch above everyone; his arms crossed but he was ready to intervene if he had to.

Miriam's gaze caught my eye and I saw her mouth the word 'focus.'

'Hey!' I dodged another jab, but just barely. 'You gonna power up or what?' Chris went in to grab me for a throw, but I leapt back into a roll and came out a good ten feet away from him.

It had been nearly a week since I called on my power for a fight like this and I could feel the power nipping at the back of my mind. I could have done with some meditation before we started to help me control it, but I'd be damned if I asked for a time out now. I'd mentioned to Sam that Chris and I had had a 'misunderstanding'. It was a little more than that. I was new to the area and didn't know I'd gone into their territory. Chris and I had clashed, gone all-out; both of us were nearly dead before Jared had arrived and separated us.

I let the tingling come forward, and Jeremy whooped when he saw my eyes glow. I danced around a little on the spot and pulled my fists to my face. It was a complete show; I had no intention of getting close enough to Chris for a fist fight. One slip and I'd be crushed by those arms.

I strode toward him confidently, and I saw the flicker of a grin on his face. Gotcha. I made a couple of jabs that he swatted aside.

'You're out of practice kid.' He laughed as he lunged for me. I grabbed one of his wrists and twisted it inwards, making him put all his weight on his right foot. Quickly taking his foot out, he collapsed onto the floor as I rolled backwards out of the way and froze in a low crouch.

Miriam cheered and punched the air. She'd taught the pack that move last spring and was cheering me on. Charlie and Jack were shouting at Chris to get back on his feet. Chris looked at me with a huge grin.

'You. Are. On!' He shouted as he charged me.

I rolled to the side and let him pass me. I came up and snapped a kick to his head. The energy flowing through me strengthened my muscles and made them suppler. A kick like that without my powers running through me would have torn a muscle, or seven. Not to mention that it would have done bugger all if it had connected.

Chris danced backwards and came at me with all the kick-boxing he had. We danced around each other, dodging kicks and punches. So far Chris hadn't landed a punch, but apart from my earlier sweep, I had been too busy dodging his attacks. I wasn't going to win by playing safe. I was also sure that Chris wasn't bringing everything he had.

Time for a change of tactics then.

I charged Chris, punches flying. I made sure they were quick enough that he couldn't grab me as we were in close quarters. If he got me close it'd be game over.

I grabbed the forearm of one of his arms as it came in for a hook, and he caught my other arm as I went to do the same. This was what I didn't want. A competition of strength would wear me down too quickly. I could hear Charlie shouting him on behind me and saw Miriam's worried face on the balcony of the porch.

Before I spent too much energy fighting a battle of strength I couldn't win, I threw one of my legs backwards. My body going forwards, my leg did a 180 and my heel caught Chris square in the forehead. Stunned, he let go and stumbled backwards a few feet.

He regained his footing just as the power ebbed from my limbs. My bright green eyes dimmed and I stumbled to the ground with a groan. Chris was by my side instantly, making sure he hadn't hurt me. I could feel Jared and Miriam's eyes on us.

'Hey kid, you okay?' I looked up at Chris and gave him a reassuring smile.

'Oh, I'm fine.' My eyes flared green and I barrelled into his chest. We span in the air only a couple of feet above the ground before Chris' back hit the ground. We skidded a couple of feet before we came to a halt. Chris opened his eyes to see me straddling his chest; my hand at the base of his neck had wisps of green mist swirling around it. I cocked my head to the side with a smirk and raised my eyebrows at him.

Chris laughed as he moved my hand away and pulled me into a hug.

'I'll give you that one, kid.' He laughed as he stood us both up. My shining eyes dulled down to their normal grey-green.

'You're such a softy.' I teased, poking him in the side.

'You do realise that this simply means I'll never show mercy again. Ever.' He looked down at me with a wicked grin.

Suddenly I was bound in arms and suffocated with long black hair. Miriam had grabbed me and was spinning me around. I needed to have serious words with these guys about the spinning.

'That was awesome! I haven't seen any of the guys do that take-down like you did!'

'I had a very good teacher.' I beamed at her.

'You totally cheated.' Charlie said, Jared just over his shoulder.

'No I didn't. I was just, creative.' I smirked, 'Besides,' I looked at Jared, 'if I'd used too much energy in the fight, I would be able to come with you guys today.'

'So you can come with us? Can he?' Jeremy sounded so excited. Jared closed his eyes for a moment. I could have sworn that he was counting to ten.

'Fine.' He mumbled.

'Yes!' Jeremy punched the air, 'I'll show you the waterfalls, and there's this clearing up the mountain, and-'

'Whoa boy.' Chris put his hand on Jeremy's shoulder. 'This is still a patrol. We get into a situation, you high-tail it out of there.' Chris gave me a stern look. 'You're still not up for a fight with a vamp and we don't want to risk casualties.'

I nodded at Chris. Jared nodded his consent and called out his orders.

'Chris, Jeremy, Charlie, Miriam, you're on border patrol.' Jared walked down the porch steps, stripping out of his jogging bottoms. Standing naked in the middle of the pack, he continued, 'Ryan, Ian and Jack, you're with me on their flank.'

Jared put his hand on my shoulder, 'You run the Quileute border with Chris and learn the layout of this pack's land. Stay safe.' He said as he gave me a back-pack. I nodded my understanding and turned to look at Chris.

'Well then, let's go!' Chris shouted as he started running towards the borders of the forest. He leaped from the ground and out of his bright coloured shorts. Before his feet could touch the grass, he had shifted into a nearly seven foot tall, dark brown wolf. Jeremy howled, and his white and brown wolf-form followed, Charlie had a light brown colour with Miriam's jet black right behind him.

I was grinning like an idiot watching them all. They were so graceful and twined around each other without thought as they ran: just motion and feeling. I gave my best howl to the sky before I let the power surge through me again. The pack was well ahead of me by the time I made it to the forest border, but as soon as I was there, I could feel the spirit of the forest and all the life inside it. Offering my thanks to the spirit of the forest I dissolved into the air, travelling through the spirits of the trees and animals, leaping out of a tree just behind the pack. Nearly fifty feet above them, I whooped as I dove off a branch and felt the energy form invisible wings that caught the hot air rising from the forest floor. I aimed down and dove towards them, pulling up so I was gliding just ten feet above the pack. It didn't feel like I was dodging the trees, but moving around them like we were old dance partners. Jeremy wasn't paying attention to where he was going, too busy watching me as I hit the floor and ran at speed alongside them. I let my mind wander through the forest, plotting the course we were taking and marking the edge of the lands we were welcome in. For a time we followed a stream that ran to our left, making the process easier. I fell back a little and gave Charlie a nudge. As soon as he huffed his understanding I jumped on his back and from their leapt into the trees, nearly flying through the forest branches above the pack.

I could see a clearing in the trees coming and with a pulse of energy I leapt into the spirit of the forest. A simple sensation of movement, and I was in the trees on the other side of the clearing. I heard Chris' celebratory howl behind me. I spun my way down the tree and landed on his back as we galloped through the trees and along the border. The Quileute territory was bigger than I had expected, but it wasn't long before I recognised that we were on our way back to the cabin. Not wanting to miss an opportunity, I leapt from Chris' back and into the canopy again. I Jumped through the branches, then passed through the forest's spirit and appeared further ahead, then leapt from the highest branches and let the wind carry me. It was exhilarating. The scents of the forest were intoxicating and beautiful and the colours whipped by me in greens and browns.

The pack made it through the edge of the forest and onto the beach before I did. I was in no rush. I felt the air pick me up, and I sailed through the last few trees before I dived towards my pack. They were all still in wolf form. Jeremy and Jack were rolling around in the sand play-fighting whilst Chris and Miriam looked on in amusement.

I landed in between Jack and Jeremy, ruffling their fur and jumping away before they could catch me. I landed in front of Chris' massive wolf form. I stepped up to him slowly and gave his muzzle a hug.

'Thanks.' I whispered. Chris gave me a nudge with his nose as acknowledgement, and I let the shining-green die from my eyes. Still exhilarated, but exhausted.

Jared and his group made it out of the woods. They were in human form, and had taken the time to put on shorts or jogging bottoms.

I heard Miriam sound a confused whine. She could obviously see more than I could, but I could sense that something unexpected had happened.

I put my hand on Chris' furry shoulder and grasped a handful of fur to steady myself. I threw my mind out into the forest. There was so much going on in the wake of two packs trampling their way through the forest, but nothing out of the ordinary. Vampires felt cold, life retreated away from them, but I sensed nothing like that. As I was bringing myself back, I felt the familiar feeling of a pack running through the forest.

'We have guests.' I said to Chris. In their wolf forms I knew they had some form of telepathy, and Jack and Jeremy went from playing to deadly in seconds. Miriam moved around Chris so she was guarding my other side.

Jared and the others finally made it to us near the cold remains of the bonfire from the night before.

'Sam's on his way. Change up.' He ordered.

I took the back-pack off and threw it on the floor a few feet in front of me. The ripping sound of shifting filled the air as everyone slid back into their human form and took out clothes from the back-pack I'd been carrying.

'What's happening?' Chris asked. I was glad I wasn't the only one wary about what was transpiring.

'Sam is bringing some of his pack to meet us. There is more happening here than we originally knew.' Jared scanned his pack with wary eyes, and then took a deep breath.

'The Quileute tribe worked out a deal, hundreds of years ago with a family of vampires.' He started, Miriam's gasp made him pause for a few seconds, but nobody interrupted.

'These vampires don't feed on humans, and just want to be left alone. For a family of vegetarian vampires the clearly made some enemies; they managed to make themselves the target of this newly-bred vampire army. They did well in keeping the body count down.'

'They have dealings with leeches?' Charlie shouted. Jared flicked his eyes up to Charlie, who quickly dipped his head and backed away.

'I apologise.' He mumbled under his breath.

'You could write books on the goings on here. We are here for one purpose, find the threat to our pack and kill it.' Jared growled, still watching Charlie. 'Don't forget that.'

'These vampires, the Cullens, are protected by the Quileute tribe and are not to be touched.' Jared paused for a moment to let anyone object. To date, nobody had every objected to Jared.

'There is still a threat in the forest and the Quileutes are our best chance at killing it and going home.' Jared looked over his shoulder at the rustling trees at the edge of the beach.

'The Cullens know we're here, and are worried we won't play by the rules. They have a human they are trying to protect.'

Miriam stepped forward. 'I won't help them keep someone to use as a blood bag.' Jack tried to pull her back but Miriam shook him off.

Jared didn't even tense, just looked up at her and said, 'good.'

Miriam looked confused, but stood her ground. 'She is not a prisoner; apparently she's in love with one of them.' Miriam went to argue, but Jared held up his hand for silence, 'It is not our job to police these vampires. We have our purpose. Unfortunately, to complete it we need some measure of peace with these, Cullens.' Jared said the word as if it tasted dirty. 'From what I gather, it is this human that was the original target of Victoria.'

'How do you propose we "make nice" with these things?' I had never heard Ian sound so threatening; apparently Jared didn't like it either. Jared turned to face him and met him eye to eye.

'Say that again.' Jared whispered. His voice was restrained and calm, but the threat was there.

Ian held his gaze for a moment before ducking his head down.

'I was wondering how we would make peace with the Cullens.' Ian's voice was nearly inaudible, and definitely monotone.

'One of Sam's pack was seriously injured in the battle with the newborn vampires. He's back in the field and has a somewhat working relationship with the Cullens.'

Alarm bells rang in my head. 'Sorry to interrupt, but what do you mean by"somewhat"?'

'He was close to the human girl they are protecting. Apparently they are no longer as 'close', but that doesn't take away from the fact that he would be a good ambassador for Sam's pack, and by proxy, ours.'

I didn't like where this was going. Anyone who could smell a vampire knew they weren't natural, no matter what they kept themselves alive on. The rest of the pack seemed just as tense, and there was a little sympathy for Jared and the situation he had been put into.

'Sam and some of his pack are coming down to meet us. We'll meet this Quileute with ties to the Cullens, explain our piece, and hopefully never cross paths with them.' Jared ordered.

'Everyone is to work towards that goal.' He made eye contact with Miriam before he continued, 'you can't say anything nice, don't say anything. Clear?'

There was a chorus of 'Yes' from the pack before Jared locked eyes with me. I nodded my head in acknowledgement, but he still came over to me. At the minute, Jared was all Alpha and I was trying my hardest not to bolt in the other direction. He walked towards me with command and authority, not to mention six foot seven's worth of muscle and strength. He grabbed the back of my head and bent down so his mouth was right next to my ear.

'I need you on this,' Jared whispered. 'If this Quileute doesn't trust us, we lose out and miss our kill. We've declared to these newborns that we're enemies; I don't want to have to bring them back to my home. I don't want the fight on their terms.'

He pulled back and looked me in the eye. There was strength to Jared that wasn't in his biceps or broad shoulders. He knew what he was doing and his determination gave me confidence.

I pulled my best reassuring and confident smile and looked him in the eye. 'You've got me.' I said with a quiet confidence I wasn't sure I felt. 'You want trust, I'll get it.'

Jared sighed relief and gave me a quick hug before turning around and striding off into the midday sun towards Sam.

Miriam stood on my flank and squeezed my shoulder. 'These are unknowns.' She said, unknowingly copying Sam's earlier words, 'if things go bad, get out. We'll cover you until you can get into the forest where we'll join you.'

Ever the tactician, Miriam knew I was nothing out in the open compared to what I could be surrounded by trees and the forest's spirit. I squeezed her hand in thanks before walking after Jared. I could feel the power at the back of my mind nipping at me, tempting me to read their minds, find out what they wanted.

I wouldn't read another's thoughts without an agreement. It was too close to controlling another's mind. Once you'd slipped into using those powers, you didn't know what would happen.

A memory of my mother flashed through my mind: so majestically beautiful, surrounded by strips of water flowing around her as she floated above the ground. Her hair was floating as if suspended under water, she reached out a hand towards me, beckoning.

I snapped out of the memory and shut the nipping urges of my power down. I was good at this. Not my power, not some unexplainable energy. Jared said he needed me here, not my power, not my 'talents', me, that's what he's asked for, nothing else.

We walked up a slight hill on the beach to a grassy opening before it merged with the trees. My pack waited at the bottom of the hill for us. Sam was at the lead of his pack and he smiled as he met Jared and shook hands with him. Both Sam and Jared were worried about this meeting: their postures were relaxed, but you could see the tense jaw line and stiff handshake. Sam's pack members were just as tense.

Warning: Danger ahead.

Sam looked over to me and nodded. 'You look well.' He said, before turning back to Jared.

'The Cullens have passed on their greetings.' Sam said, 'Jacob is friends with Bella and knows the Cullens best.' A tall, muscular figure made its way to the front of the pack. In medieval times, you'd compare moving to stand in front of your Alpha with slapping someone with a glove and challenging them to swords at dawn. I didn't miss the worried expressions on his packs faces, and Sam inclined his head in Jacob's direction, foregoing the slight.

I was dwarfed my Jared's shadow, so it wasn't surprising this new pack member didn't really pay me any attention. This new figure was different from the rest of Sam's pack. He stood proudly, unafraid of being mistaken for an Alpha himself. Sam was doing his best not to turn and challenge him; I could see it in his hips and the way he held his arms. The defiant stare and squaring off to Jared was definitely against Sam's word; even the other pack members were trying to shrink away from his breech of orders. In my mind, I was slapping my head with my open hand and shouting 'stupid!' over and over again.

'We don't need another pack on our land.' He said. Amazingly, he matched Jared's height and had one hell of an attitude.

'I didn't think that was your call to make.' Jared replied. He said it calmly and admirably so, but I could see the building tension in his shoulders and his legs were ready to spring forward.

Time to step in. I gave my power a shove to keep it at the back of my mind as I stepped forward and made eye contact with Sam first. Wolf protocol don't you know; acknowledge the leader of the other pack first. It would also be unaccepted for one of their pack to attack a weaker opponent that hadn't attacked them. I think.

'It's a pleasure to see you again Sam.' I dipped my head politely.

'It's an honour to host you and the rest of your pack.' Sam replied, inclining his head.

Sam had given me a clue here. He said, "the rest of" instead of "Jared's pack". Admitting we were in the presence of another Alpha might have unpleasant effects on this new Quileute.

The sun had moved above the tree line. Its rays shone through the canopy and blinded me to anything above the ridge that the Quileutes were standing on.

Following the silhouette, I aimed my eyes at what I thought was Jacob's head. 'We have come to avenge a slight to our pack and aid yours. We're grateful that the Quileute will let us avenge our injured.' The change in shadows let me see that some of the other pack members were nodding their agreement.

The shadow in front of me didn't move, his eyes still locked on Jared.

'Victoria is dead,' He snarled, 'take your freak and go south where you belong.' The Quileute turned around and started to walk away. My eyes pulsed a vibrant green and I stepped in front of Jared to block the charge I saw coming. Hopefully, Jared wouldn't risk hurting me if he wasn't sure if my powers were 'on'. I could feel the building rage and knew he couldn't simply push me aside and risk breaking 'un-powered' bones although I was very, very sure that he would eventually try.

'Jacob!' Sam stood in his way and stared him down. Jacob glared back and refused to step back. 'You turn your back on an ally and create an enemy for the rest of us while you walk away!'

Jacob was about to say something, but paused when we heard a whine from one of their pack. I couldn't place who it was, it might have been the woman, Leah, but her stoic face and hard expression led me to doubt it. Next to her was Seth, the Quileute I'd met on the beach. He had similar features to Leah, and she was holding his arm protectively.

Jacob locked eyes with Seth, and then Leah before dropping his head. So, Jacob wasn't seeing eye-to-eye with his Alpha, but his pack meant everything. That might be tricky, but it was a good sign. It was easier to appeal to and work with someone who had a reason than it was to work with determined leader under the heel of another.

Jacob turned around slowly.

Crap.

I'd just stepped up in front of my Alpha. Either I was questioning his authority or suggesting he couldn't fight for himself. On the other hand, I wasn't sure what Jared would do if I moved.

Crap.

I watched Jacob take a deep breath and let his shoulders relax.

Here goes nothin'. I took a few slight steps so I was just to the side of Jared, half a step behind him.

'I'm sorry that you got pulled into this,' he said slowly, clearly unused to diplomatic talks, 'but you're welcome here. It's been a long few days and I'm sorry for being such an ass.' He held out his hand to Jared. My hand was already on Jared's back, and I gave him a gentle nudge to encourage the handshake and forget the previous slights.

There was a communal sigh of relief from all present when Jared shook Jacob's hand.

'We look forward to working with you.' Jared nearly growled, not letting go of Jacob's hand. He'd locked his eyes onto his and Jacob's wolf instinct wouldn't let the danger go.

Jared continued, 'Now, perhaps you'd like to meet my pack's freak?' I had known Jared for years, but I still wasn't sure how he put so much violence into a sentence.

Jacob look conflicted for a time, but kept his shoulders down and stayed calm. 'I shouldn't have said that, I apologise.' Jared growled loudly and threw Jacob's hand aside. He stepped across me, blocking my sight (I was sure there was a wolf thing about that, but I couldn't remember it) and took position below me on the slope that led down to the beach.

Ah double crap. This was one of those 'wolf things' that they took for granted that I didn't know. For Jared to be below me was a sign he held less authority, but as far as I knew that was inexcusable within your own pack, let alone in sight of another. I wasn't even sure if I was allowed to meet Jacob's eyes. Then it dawned on me.

Shit, it really dawned on me. Jared was temporarily giving me his authority as Alpha. Anything I said or did was on behalf of the pack.

I kept my eyes down, but moved up the slope so I would be closer to eye level with Jacob. I could almost hear the held breaths of the Quileute pack.

Nobody here really knew what I was so as far as they were concerned, a human had just been given enough Alpha rank to risk a war between packs. I heard their pack shuffle around, ready to move quickly if they needed to.

I hadn't raised my eyes yet. To meet his would be a declaration that we were of the same position.

'I understand that events have had a toll, and forgive the comment.' I said. I heard Seth breathe a sigh of relief, but everyone else seemed too experienced in politics to breathe free yet.

With the apology accepted, I felt that we were on equal terms. I didn't want to push it, as we were on their territory, so thought I'd go for something a little safer.

'It was agreed that my pack was hosted in your lands whilst are grievance existed.' I said. I'd raised my head to chest level, noncommittal in wolf politics, but it gave him warning that I would declare myself his equal in front of his pack.

'I understand.' Jacob nearly growled.

Alphas were born, not made. Jacob was sounding more and more like the Alpha that never was, opposed to the rebellious Beta I'd had him pegged for.

This could make things more difficult, or swing them in our way. I only had one card to play here. I gave a silent prayer up to anyone listening and barrelled on.

'I understand that you have an understanding with the Cullens,' I paused when I saw him tense, 'we don't wish to offend the Quileutes or those they have treaties with. We'd like to know enough about it so that we can complete our quest, defend our pack, and go home without causing offence.'

I heard a round of agreement from the Quileute bystanders before Sam waved them to silence.

Jacob laughed. It wasn't a laugh filled with humour though, but sadness and pain. 'It's quite simple. She loves him, he loves her, but the world wants them both dead.' Jacob's voice sounded tired. 'And now you're pack suffers as well because of it all.'

'It gets exhausting, fight consequences of actions you didn't want.' I said with as much empathy as I could muster. I left it a couple of seconds before I continued.

'I have a pack that I'm defending as much as you are yours.' Jacob now had his back to me; it was tense and ready to strike.

I took another few steps up the slope so Jacob and I would be on eye level. 'Vampires are still travelling through the southern forests. Victoria is dead but her work is being continued.'

'We can do this together: stronger, faster and better than we could do alone.' I whispered. I was back to playing it safe, and again it wasn't getting me anywhere. An Alpha would never do it, but I risked putting my hand on his shoulder, willing him to turn and talk to me.

I got what I asked for.

His frame was similar to Jared's, six foot seven easily, maybe a little taller? His shoulders were broad enough to put it in proportion and defined lines carved his chest. His hair was short and spiky; it fit well with his dark brown eyes and tanned skin.

His brown eyes: I only saw them for a second. He had the time to look into mine before he took a sharp breath in. His stern jaw line dropped in shock. I could hear the echoes of his mind without even trying: memories of what had been, what is, and what would be. Every flash of the future had Jacob by my side, for good or ill.

The power waiting at the back of my mind burst forth, and all of a sudden, my mind was not my own.

I saw what Jacob saw, I felt what he felt:

The ground didn't seem to hold me to it. I was kept in this place only by the anchor of his racing heartbeat.

We were running through the forest with the wind in at our backs. The sea breeze washing over our sun-tanned faces. Blood dripping from claw and nail after a battle. The joy of life as we watched our nieces and nephews growing up, the look of carnal intention between us as the sun fell below a sparkling sapphire ocean.

Jared and Sam leapt forward. Sam had his pack pull out within seconds; Jacob was carried away before he knew what was happening. Jared had me in his arms before I realised I'd even hit the ground. Feeling the thunder ripple through his chest, I felt us leap off the edge of the verge and land nearly forty feet away, and at least ten feet lower than where we started. I came to whilst on the back of a massive wolf, the quiet speed with which we moved told me Ian was running me home, darting through the trees so not to be noticed.

By the time I got home it was probably half way through the afternoon, but I felt like I'd lived a life time. I also felt that something had gone very wrong. I slid off Ian's back at the front of the cabin and started to make my way back towards the beach in a daze before Ian picked me up off my feet. He was still in wolf form and was carrying me by the neck of my hoodie. A flick of his neck saw me over the porch and landing roughly in Charlie's arms. Inside the house Charlie put me down on the pillows and cushions the pack slept on.

'Don't get up too quickly.' Miriam ordered me, already by my side. 'You don't have your power on and you aren't thinking clearly.' Confused, I tried to sit up, only to be pushed back down.

'Easy kid, let's calm down.' Chris was next to me, not letting go of my hand. Jeremy was hovering over his shoulder.

'Ugh!' I liked to think that it was more indignant than pain-filled. 'What's happened now?' I asked.

Everyone seemed to be happy that I was okay. Jared leaping us across the beach had jarred my back, but nothing serious. I could remember everything that had happened at the beach, but was baffled by what it meant. I was also getting really irritated that no one would tell me what happened and kept saying stupid things like 'it couldn't have been' or, 'I didn't know that could happen'. I also never thought I'd get angry with being pampered, but if someone asked me again if I wanted a glass of water or another pillow I would do my absolute utmost to turn them into frog, or any other sort of amphibian if I couldn't manage that.

'Okay!' I shouted, 'will someone tell me what's going on?' I'd managed to startle everyone into silence.

'Could you show me what you saw?' Miriam asked. Normally I would have treated the question with much more seriousness, but I was getting anxious and wanted answers.

I grabbed Miriam's hand and shared my memories of the few seconds I'd been staring into Jacob's eyes.

It all flashed by again so quickly: the feeling of forever, images of things that hadn't yet happened. When all the memories had passed and it was over, a tear slid down her cheek. She smiled at me warmly and squeezed my hand with affection.

'Oh honey.' Miriam whispered, 'he's imprinted on you.'

The room was deathly silent. What I knew about imprinting came from Miriam and Jack, but they were the only imprinted couple I'd ever met. I had no idea what was common to imprinting and what was special to them as a couple.

Boom! One of the side tables disintegrated into splinters and spread itself across the room. Jared's fist was still held above the now very dead table.

'Of course he has.' The words were barely audible through the growl. Every muscle in Jared's body was tensed and his eyes were the amber slits of a wolf. Shaking with emotion, which one I wasn't sure, he slowly made his way to the kitchen.

'Stay with them!' He barked. We all knew he was talking to Chris, how I didn't know, but Chris nodded at Jared's back before he disappeared out of the kitchen window and we saw Jared's nearly eight foot tall black and brown wolf vanish into the forest. I'd only ever seen Jared so close to losing control once before; he would run the forests until he felt calm enough to come back to us.

Chris turned to the rest of us, pulling a splinter out of his arm.

'He's gone to cool down. He'll be back.' Chris sat himself on the sofa. Charlie had been perched on the edge of the settee, but silently moved into a crouch at its bottom.

I was sitting on the cushions at the bottom of the sofa. Chris gave me a nudge with his foot and a cheeky, if forced, smile.

'How you doin' kid?'

'Confused. I can't imprint.' Was the only thing I could manage. From my spot on the floor I could only see a few of the pack. Miriam and Jack were looking at me fondly. Jeremy looked so confused, staring at the floor trying to work his head around what this meant. Ryan was stood by the door, and he looked pissed. Ian was absent, but knowing him he was running the perimeter of the cabin if the Quileutes turned up.

'You don't need to.' Jack said, 'He'll be everything to you now, whatever you need.'

'Imprinting is finding the one who is everything you're missing.' Miriam smiled, squeezing Jack's knee.

'This is more complicated than that.' Ryan muttered darkly.

My brain went into overdrive to try and process what this meant.

We had just developed a working relationship with the other pack: tentative, but hopeful. We were discussing their vampire allies, a tough topic, but Jacob would help us get there. Vampires were running through our forests and I believed there was something else to this, a shadow we hadn't seen.

Now, the spokesperson to the vampires and the human's old heartthrob had imprinted on a member of the other pack. This meant that eventually he would leave his pack and join mine, I would leave my pack and join his, or we would both leave together. The latter was unlikely, and the other options would make the packs working together... difficult. I could only imagine that his pack's response to him leaving for a member of another pack would be the same as my pack's would be.

It's wouldn't end well.

Add to this that Jacob was the best person to talk to the Cullens, but would now only be trusted to do what was best for me, and in turn, my pack. Tensions between the packs would be incredible, and Jared would have to navigate us to killing our enemies whilst not killing our own kind. Sam would be in a similar position.

No wonder he killed the table.

'I'm so sorry.' I said, staring down at the cushions on the floor.

'No, honey,' Miriam rubbed my shoulder, 'this is going to be complicated, but I promise it'll be the best thing to ever happen to you. We'll deal with it because you deserve this.'

'It's too much for the pack. I don't want it.' It was more of an appeal than a statement. Chris put his hand on my shoulder and gave it a squeeze.

'Don't think it works like that.' He said. 'Sam and Jared knew exactly what had happened, that's why you were both high-tailed out of there. This needs to be done carefully, and definitely not in view of two packs.'

'Jack,' Chris started, 'when you and Miriam imprinted, what would you have done if you'd been separated?'

'Killed anyone in my way.' Miriam said, matter-of-factly. Jack nodded in agreement. Chris looked down at the floor and nodded sadly. After a moment he looked up at me with sad eyes.

'Best we get going then.'

Jeremy leapt forward and stood in between Chris and me.

'You can't be serious!'Jeremy shouted at him.

'Jeremy,' Ryan called a warning.

'No!' Jeremy shouted him off, he pointed at Chris angrily, 'we're not giving up our pack mate.' He growled.

'It's not like that.' Jack had risen to his feet and stood at Jeremy's shoulder.

'Weren't you listening? The imprints not wanted!' Jeremy gestured at me whilst shouting. He was still glaring at Chris, not paying any attention to Jack.

'Jacob will come here.' Miriam said quietly.

'Let him!' Jeremy growled, 'We'll take him on.'

'And risk the pack for what?' Miriam hadn't raised her voice, but there was steel in it now. 'This isn't for us to decide.' Miriam looked at me pointedly.

Chris looked at Jeremy with a sad determination. 'Stand down.' He said gently. Chris didn't want to, but he would take Jeremy down if he continued, and I knew exactly how much damage it would take to keep Jeremy down. And Chris would do it if he had to. He'd hate himself for it, but he'd do it.

Jeremy shoved Chris backwards as hard as he could. Before Chris could recover, Jeremy's eyes rolled back in his head and he fell to the floor.

Chris looked at me with a wary surprise whilst my glowing green eyes faded back to normal and I took my hand off Jeremy's ankle.

'Let's go.' I said. I had aimed to say it with confidence, but the looks I was getting from the pack didn't inspire me. 'I won't risk the pack.'

'Miriam will take you.' He said. Even though he wasn't here, Chris would adhere to Jared's last order and stay with the majority of the pack.

Miriam stood and met Chris' gaze. 'Head along the border of the Quileute lands. Once you're a good distance from here, let Jacob know where you are.'

Miriam nodded her understanding, kissed Jack goodbye and led me out of the front door. With a few movements Miriam was naked, but only for a second before a midnight-black wolf stood in her place. Just under six foot, she was lean, but built on reflexes and speed. She looked quite majestic, until a backpack hit her in the face.

'You'll need these.' Chris' voice shouted. His voice reverberated with laugher.

'Miri,' I whispered, pulling the backpack on and hoping the rest of the pack didn't hear, 'I'm scared.'

Her massive muzzle nudged my chest and face. It wasn't eloquent, but I understood her meaning: you'll be fine, trust me.

I climbed onto her back, and within seconds we were bounding through the trees faster than I thought possible. With my powers on and running through the trees I could keep pace with the best of them, but Ryan, and as it turns out, Miriam, had speed that I couldn't match without spirits of the forest carrying me incorporeal through the air.

After a minute or so, Miriam slowed to let a howl into the air. If we were a military strike team, and we'd be a damn good one, Miriam's howl would have been a flare. We're here, come get us.

She picked up her speed and wove through the trees like we were only ambling along. I'd been on hundreds of patrols with my pack and I knew the movements of a set patrol. This wasn't it.

We were heading for a specific place, not dancing on the borders of negotiated territory. Again Miriam howled, barely slowing as she climbed up the steepening hill. Trees and plants shot passed us with impossible speed. I clung to Miriam's back ferociously, terrified of the fast moving floor and the confusing blur of speed. I don't know why I hadn't turned my powers on; it would have made this into something more comprehendible, something manageable. There was something though that demanded this be purely me; if I wasn't barrelling through a forest at a hundred miles an hour I could have sworn I heard my Nan's voice: Stay calm, I'm proud of you.

With a tremendous burst, we left the tree line and were in a large grass clearing. I could hear a waterfall somewhere in the distance, maybe one of the waterfalls that Jeremy had mentioned.

Miriam let me slide off her back so I could take in the scenery. It was magnificent. I could feel the forest's spirit, the hearts of dears, foxes, bears. This was peace.

There were spaces in the wild places that were still sacred. No churches stood on them, no special words had been said, but the spirit of the planet and its creatures coalesced in them, marking them as special.

I felt the energy of the Earth pulse beneath my feet and flow through the air. My own talents felt the power around me, connecting with it. My powers were at their best when I was in the forest, connected to the spirits of the Earth. Here was the centre of the forest; I was in no danger here. Knowingly or not, Miriam had brought me to the safest place in the forest. I smiled: of course she had. Miriam the tactician had put me on a home-field advantage.

She started nipping at the backpack I carried with her massive teeth. My power buzzing at the back of my mind, I slid the pack off and held it up for her jaws to take from me. With the pack in her mouth, she nuzzled the side of my face with her nose.

'Thanks Miri, but I'm okay.' I knew she could hear the pounding of my heart and knew I was lying. With all the power around me, I was still anxious. She huffed a breath through her nose at me that said as much. Before she bounded into the trees, she bent forwards on her legs and waggled her tail in the air.

'This is a good thing' her body said, 'enjoy.' Wolves can't "woof" like dogs can, but she gave it her best before disappearing into the tree line.

Suddenly the birds stopped singing and even the crickets were quiet. I hadn't turned my powers on, but didn't need to to know there was a standoff happening a few hundred meters away.

The birds started their chorus again and I breathed a sigh of relief as I saw a deer bounce its way happily in the distance. So, two massive wolves were not going to start trying to kill each other then. That was something at least.

A few seconds later Jacob emerged from the tree line wearing the clothes that Miriam had been carrying in the backpack. He was wearing knee-length shorts. They were florescent pink and yellow.

I was going to kill Chris.

Jacob made his way up the slight hill to stand a few meters in front of me.

He tried to start a sentence a couple of times. Going to say something, stopping, saying something else, stopping, going to say something else, then finally just stopped.

He looked me in the eye and let out a deep breath.

'Hey.' He muttered.

'Hey.' I muttered back.

'So, this isn't weird.' He was staring at the ground, shuffling his feet.

'I'm going to be honest with you.' I started. I had a whole speech planned that included loyalty to the pack, the importance of our situation and even had a separate verse planned on the inadequacy of imprinting. It all fled my mind and I stumbled for words. Being close to him made the rational part of my brain foggy. Sadly, that was the part of my brain that I really, really needed right now.

'I heard there were nice waterfalls-' I mumbled. Nice waterfalls? How did that just come out of my mouth? Stray vampires, possible pack wars, weird imprinting and I come out with "waterfalls". Crap.

'I could show them to you?' He asked carefully. This was the part where the rational part of my brain says "we need to talk about this". However it seemed that the rational side of my brain was on hiatus. That left the non-rational and curious side of my brain. Again: crap.

'I'd love to see them.' I made sure I looked him in the eye when I said it. He gave me a full, blinding white and genuine smile.

'Great!' He bound across the gap between us and gestured me to follow him. We walked up a mound that stuck out in the middle of the clearing. Ducking down to my eye level, he pointed out a large tree that was about a mile away from where we were standing flush against a long cliff face that guarded the beach on the other side. His face was so close to mine, he smelt of cinnamon and bonfires.

'That tree's right next to an opening in the cliff.' He said, 'Behind it is one of the best views in Washington.'

'Good place to talk.' I said. Ah, so the rational-side of my brain had decided to join the party.

I thought the idea of "a talk" might slow him down, but his childish grin hadn't gone anywhere. His good mood was definitely infectious. He put his arm around my shoulder and started walking in the direction of the tree he'd pointed out.

I was more than used to the weirdly high body heat of my pack, but their heat was nothing compared to his. Jacob's heat was something else, but instead of starting to feel clammy and uncomfortable his heat sank gently through me and I found myself shuffling closer to him.

I think I needed to re-think this 'I can't imprint' thing.

'Tell you what.' I said, pulling away from his enticing body heat. 'I'll race you.'

I laughed at Jacob's confused expression. 'Race me?' he asked.

'Yes, race you. You're telling me you've never raced anyone?' I stopped to face him.

'Yeah, d'uh! But the wolf thing makes us wicked fast.' He said almost apologetically.

'Then I guess you have no excuse for losing then.' I obviously couldn't see it, but I knew I was grinning wickedly. 'Come on,' I carried on, 'wanna see what tricks this freak has?' I let a little of my power through, enough to set my eyes ablaze.

I was half expecting him to jump back, or at least be shocked. Instead he seemed intrigued, and his smile went from 'simply happy' to a 'cocky grin'.

'Okay, but to make it fair, I'll stay human.' I nodded thanks, and was incredibly proud of myself that I hadn't laughed.

'On three then,' He said, bending into a crouch, 'One, two-'

'Three!' I shouted, and belted towards the edge of the clearing. I heard Jacob laugh behind me, but soon his footfalls were coming up next to me.

'This all you got?' he shouted to me. I had to hand it to him, I was running nearly full-out at a pace that would have kept up with most of my pack.

I glanced in his direction smiling like an idiot before I put everything I had into sprinting for the tree line.

Jacob howled with delight and seemed thrilled he was struggling to keep pace with me. We were neck and neck when we shot past the trees into the forest proper.

Jacob hadn't realised that this was where the race was over. I copied his howl as I ran, darting through the trees. There was a massive redwood tree in our path, and with a deep breath I ran into its trunk. There was a brief moment when all that existed was the spirit of the tree: then I was running along one of its branches.

About forty feet above the ground, I was barely half way up the giant redwood. I could still hear Jacob striding the ground below me. I leapt from the branch and swung through a few more before I landed on a branch closer to the ground. I was ahead of Jacob now, which was great because I wanted to show off.

As Jacob started to close the gap, I leapt off the branch and let my power form the intangible wings that kept me from the ground. I glided across the ground, so close to Jacob's head I could have ruffled his hair.

Jacob's speed in his human form was incredible. Werewolves in human form were naturally stronger and faster than humans, but all were quicker and stronger as wolves. Jacob would have been able to keep pace with most of my 'wolf' pack in his human form.

He caught my eye as he ran; I was thrilled that I was the reason he was wearing such a ridiculous smile.

As the woodland flew past us I felt the joy of simply being free. I could feel the spirit of the forest as we moved through it, the exhilaration of the moment highlighting every glint of light and every colour. Without even realising I was doing it, I lowered my arms and put my hands on Jacob's back.

We were both nothing. The forest still whipped past us but we had no feet to feel it, no eyes to see the colours. All we had was our mind, or soul, flying through the spirit of the forest.

Our feet touched down in sight of the tree Jacob had pointed out to me. Jacob hadn't flinched from the strange alteration to our journey. If it was possible he looked more delighted. In a final burst, we both dove for the tree.

If I hadn't have had my powers on, I'm fairly sure the speed we hit the tree would have broken everything. Yet safely, Jacob and I met each other's gaze, both of our hands on the trunk of the tree.

'Draw?' He laughed. I nodded with delight as Jacob stood up. He helped me to my feet and in a fit of joy howled at the sky.

'That was awesome!' He shouted, 'What did we do? It felt like, hell, I don't know!' Jacob's eyes were shining with delight and he paced around with gleeful energy. 'Do you do that all the time? It was incredible.'

What I'd just done was still sinking in. I'd never carried someone else through the spirits before, I hadn't even known that it was possible.

Jacob saw something in my face that made him slow down a little. Jacob had no choice but to accept his imprint, I was still processing that and what had just happened.

Jacob gave me a gentle smile and put his hand on my arm. He nodded his head towards the cliff behind the tree and led me towards a crack in the rock.

At the base of the cliff, Jacob looked up at an opening about thirty feet up. 'You got this?' he asked, rubbing my arm. I flinched slightly as he pressed too hard on the bruise Ryan had left on my arm.

'I reckon I can handle it.' If I pumped enough power into it, I could have called the spirit to carry me up there, but I wanted to do it. I wanted to show I could do it. I'd been living with a werewolf pack for years: I could handle some old rock.

I looked at Jacob and let him see the blaze die from my eyes. I turned to face the cliff face before I saw his expression and started to climb. Jacob was never more than a few feet away as we climbed, but every foot higher was one I had earned. Every foot earned was another foot of height I was trying not to look down at.

The wind whipped and howled past my ears in a semblance of words: Stay calm, I'm proud of you.

Eventually, I pulled myself onto the ledge that we were aiming for. Jacob was already sat there, his legs crossed and a proud look on his face.

'I can't figure you out.' He said, looking at me with a curious smile and his head cocked to the side.

''We only met a few hours ago,' I gasped, trying to get back my breath from the climb, 'let me have some mystery.'

Jacob leaned back and rocked with laughter. 'I look forward to these mysteries.' He raised his arm and beckoned for me to join him. The journey here had been intense, but I was still a little wary.

Once I'd made it to him, he ran his hand over my eyes, gesturing I should shut them. Well, I was half way up a cliff, near a waterfall with a werewolf I didn't know. Closing my eyes was not going to make things all that much worse.

I felt him leading me forward, turning me around this way and that. He didn't know I could use my power to sense the forest and know which way I was going; but I didn't. I let this be the mystery he wanted it to be. Eventually I stopped moving and his hand moved from my eyes.

Slowly opening them, the sun's late afternoon light hit the waterfall in a spectacular display. We were level with its top, and three sets of rainbows cascaded down the falling water as it made its way to the plunge pool at the bottom. The bird song was in full chorus and the wind picked it up, echoing it through the forest.

I was completely taken with the view, but I didn't miss Jacob's satisfied expression at my reaction. I leant over and gently elbowed him in his side.

'Done good.' I said quietly. I don't know how long we were sitting there, probably not that long if the sun was anything to go by, but it wouldn't have surprised me if we'd been sat there for a whole day.

'You wanted to talk.' Jacob said.

It took me a while to retrieve my thoughts from the view. I managed a 'yes', but required a few more seconds to put the rest of the words together.

Jacob was sitting next to me and put his hand on my arm, a reminder that the view wasn't what we were here for. I cringed a little as he had managed to rest his hand on the same bruise he'd brushed against at the bottom of the cliff.

His hand danced around my wrist a little before sliding my sleeve up my arm. My sleeve reached the bruise that Ryan had caused shaking me on the beach. Jacob just stared at it, stared at it so long it start to make me feel self-conscious.

I went to move my sleeve down when his hand stopped me.

'What is this?' I heard the words, but the growl was more evident.

'A bruise.' I said simply. There were no words in the reply, just a growl threatening danger.

'Do you know why we were separated when you imprinted?' I asked. Hello to the rational part of my brain, where were you ten minutes ago?

Jacob paused, but muttered 'I haven't thought about it.'

'Things like this.' I answered, pointing between the bruise and my arm and him, 'my pack is protective and it's going to take them a while to get used to the idea.' I rolled my sleeve down and looked at him. 'Jumping in the deep end is going to upset people in both our packs.' I tried to explain.

'I don't care about them.' He said. His eyes were looking into mine and I was starting to find it hard to concentrate.

'The situation is tense as it is and people might get hurt.' I replied. 'Not to mention that we should be hunting vampires, not each other.'

'What do you think we should do?' he asked.

'Ideally,' I closed my eyes and took a breath, 'I think we should focus on finding the rest of the vampires with our own packs. Then, we can spend some time getting to know each other.' That had taken a lot more effort to say than it should have done.

'That could take months.' Jacob was sat crossed legged in front of me, looking stunned. Slowly he started to shake his head, 'I don't think I can do that.'

'Jacob, I don't know what's going on here.' I was starting to lose the plot, 'Everybody's telling me what imprinting is and how great it'll be, but I don't imprint.' I threw my hands up in frustration. 'I'm sure you're a nice guy, but help me out here and see this from my side. Yesterday I hadn't met you, now people are telling me we're expected to just, 'be together'.'

'It doesn't have to be like that!' Jacob sounded frightened. He obviously caught the sound of his voice and took a few breathes to calm himself down. 'I just want to spend time with you. I'll let you decide what happens. Promise.'

I let out a deep breath and took a moment to watch the sunlight coming through the clouds. Two birds, I couldn't make out what they were, were dancing around each other in the breeze. An elk, easily fifty feet below us on the other side of the pool was grating its antlers against a tree. This place was astounding, and I even felt a little guilty for liking it more than the forests of Oregon.

The few seconds of peace hadn't quelled how pleased I felt that Jacob had said no to my 'stay away from each other and hope it goes away' plan. Didn't change the fact though that I had no other plan.

I sighed and slumped forward. 'Then I don't know.' I rubbed my eyes in frustration.

Jacob took both of my hands in his large ones and rubbed slow circles into my palms. 'You're upset.' He sounded so sad as he said it, so guilty.

'No Jacob,' first the eyes, now the rubbing slow circles, I was impressed that I could still form sentences. 'I'm just a bit lost here.'

'We could go away for a while? No pack politics or vampires?' he whispered, so hopeful. I shook my head with a wistful smile and pulled my hands back into my lap.

'My pack is here to get even with an attack on one of our own. I can't leave them.' I said.

'Then I guess I need to meet them.' He said it like it was so simple. He held his hand up to silence me before I could respond.

'They won't get used to me if they never meet me.' He said, his mouth moved up a little into an almost smile, 'not ashamed of me are you?'

'I'm not sure where "we" stand yet.' I said. 'This is going too fast.' He pulled my hands into his again and looked me in the eye.

'Just let me try.' His begged, 'please?'

With eyes like that, who could say no?

'Let me talk to Jared-'

'Yes!' Jacob jumped up and all six foot seven of him dressed in nothing but pink and yellow shorts burst into what I would from now on call 'The Happy Dance'.

I burst into a fit of laughter, which nothing more than encouraged him to carry on. He was midway through some attempt at a Saturday Night Fever routine when I managed to get him to stop.

'There are some tough cookies to win over,' I started, 'and Jared might even-' I didn't finish the sentence because Jacob had picked me up and span me around in celebration. What was it with the spinning? Maybe it was a werewolf thing.

He pulled back and looked at me. 'If Jared lets me meet your pack,' He was wearing the ridiculous grin again that made me smile, 'I can spend time with you, right?'

'Jared's good at politicking,' I said, 'I should imagine you'll have to spend time with your pack without me.'

'I can live with that.' He replied quickly, still grinning. I hadn't noticed that he was still holding me from when he'd spun me around. I had to admit, I felt so safe with him.

A memory of my Nan flew to the front of my mind. She was standing next to a very young me, helping me cross the road.

'You haven't looked to see if it's safe.' She said softly. The smell of lavender came through the memory.

'I don't need to; I saw you do it Nanna.' It was weird hearing me sound so young.

Nanna turned me to face her and looked at the young me. 'Don't trust your safety to anybody but you.' She said.

As quickly as it started, the memory faded and I was left staring into Jacob's eyes. His face had melted into a soft expression and he had gotten so close.

'I think it's time we got back.' I said, trying to wriggle out of his arms. For a second I was worried that he wasn't going to let go, but his hands slid across me to hang at his side.

We both stared at each other awkwardly before moving back to the cliff edge. Before we'd taken two steps, a distant, harrowing wolf howl erupted from the forest.

'That's Seth.' Jacob's voice was a whisper.


	3. A rising power

Jacob's voice was a whisper. He looked at me in alarm before we ran for the cliff in unison. I pumped power into my legs, keeping pace with Jacob as we ran. The cliff edge got closer and closer, 'Jump!' I shouted as we hit the edge.

I grabbed him from behind as we leapt and used my power to keep him close. Invisible wings sped us towards where we heard the howl. Faster and faster we went, the wind slapping our faces. I could feel Jacob's heart beating faster, his urge and desire to just simply "be there". I could feel the strength coiled in his body, the urgency of his pack's call.

Pain suddenly wracked my body. It felt like there was a fire burning inside my head. Power flooded everywhere without control and suddenly, we were nothing.

Without realising, we were travelling through the spirits of the forest, but this time it was different. I was disconnected from the Earth, not feeling the spirits of the wood as we flew past them. Soaring above the trees, I felt the life of the ocean. It was so close, filled with life and the pull of the tides. Landscapes never seen by man lay down there as well as the deep dark chasms that could simply swallow you: body, soul, memory, everything.

I had forgotten what I was running to. The land passed so quickly below me as I soared across it. It was so close, with just a shuttle shift I was headed to the waves of the sea, but something was wrong. Suddenly I was jerked back into the forest. I felt something, Jacob? Jacob was travelling with me; he had pulled me back into the forest and was wrapped around me tightly. He was focus, strength and awesome power. How close I had come to falling into the sea's arms panicked me, and through a roar of power we left the spirit of the forest and landed on the solid, real ground.

I got my bearings as Jacob was helping me up. We were nearly on the other side of the forest, so close to the howl we could hear the trampling of wolves on the hunt.

Jacob was now an eight foot, rusty coloured wolf. He looked at me with worried eyes, but I pointed towards the source of the howl for him to carry on.

Satisfied I was okay and safe, he leapt forward. I had never jumped through the spirits for more than a few meters, yet I had carried Jacob, travelled miles and still had power nipping at my mind desperate for release.

My eyes flared a dazzling green, and I was up and quickly on Jacob's trail. It wasn't long until we reached one of the Quileute in wolf form. He was prowling slowly, obviously trying to follow an elusive trail.

I leant against a tree for support and began to let my mind wander through the forest. I stopped immediately and nearly wretched. The undead were here: above us. Straight above us.

I dropped onto all fours and pushed my mind outward. I had to find them quickly, although my nerves were probably slowing me down. I searched for my pack through the forest. Travelling so far so quickly had been disorientating and it was taking too long!

I found a pool of collective fear and anxiety. They'd heard the desperate howl and were all waiting in tensed silence. I'd found them.

An image of Chris seen through the eyes of a bird flashed in my mind. He was stood on the porch looking out towards Seth's howl. A flash, and Miriam was talking to Ian. Another flash and I saw Charlie was pacing the living room before the mouse who spied him disappeared into its hole.

I looked up at my surroundings and braced myself. I took a mental picture of what I could see and shoved it at them. I felt their startled responses, but also their understanding.

I leant forward and rested my head on the soil. I had coiled up a memory and barrelled it through the spirits and into the minds of my pack. Imagine taking a tapestry, pulling it apart thread by thread, weaving each separate thread through thousands of tiny pathways and then putting it all back together on the other side. Normally sending an image like that would have put me out of action. It had still hurt and I felt drained, but I had acquired a reserve of power I didn't know existed. I also had the confidence of someone who knew he had a pack of killer werewolves coming to defend him.

Jacob had been looking at the other wolf in front of him, then taken to smelling the scents in the air. When I managed to catch his eye, I looked up towards the canopy above us, its denizens hidden by thick leaves and branches.

Jacob growled. Again I felt power I didn't want flood through me, slapping my mind with pain as it overwhelmed the wards that helped keep my power in check. I managed to keep it from jumping me into the spirits' world this time, but it still bloody hurt.

I looked up in time to see a vampire jump down from a tree behind Jacob. The bright red eyes of the newborn leapt into the air with its arms open ready to crush the other wolf as it landed. The wolf was completely unaware; Jacob had managed to turn but too late to intercept him. My hand pulsed power into the ground beneath it and a shard of slate burst from the earth and hit the falling vampire full force in the shoulder.

I'd managed to throw the vampire off course, which was the intent. But with the extra power running through me, I'd thrown the slate from the ground so hard that it had sliced the vampire's arm clean off.

I wasn't sure if the vampire had even hit the ground before Jacob had torn it into pieces.

A freakish cry signalled the descent. Five vampires jumped down from the branches above us, too high for their scents to alert the wolves.

I leapt forward into a roll and came out next to Jacob with enough time to slam a palm into a vampire's face. The two wolves were a blur of movement amongst the vampires. I had to give it to them, they knew what they were doing. Outnumbered, they were relying on speed and trying to catch the vampires when they could. The two massive figures had drawn most of the attention, which worked for me. I was in the forest: this place was my shield and my sword.

A vampire managed to land a hit on Jacob's flank before he moved away. Jacob's whine resounded in my ears.

I stopped and stared at the vampire. The world had taken on a green tint as the unfamiliar power rolled off me, pouring from my eyes. I felt a twang, like an elastic band snapping after being stretched too far: the wards around my power had gone. Vampires and wolves alike moved faster than I could keep up with, but this vampire was mine.

Lightning fast hands made to grab me, but I simply moved out of their way as if they were moving through tar. The look on the vampires face was confused, but the newborn was still full of rage. He lunged to grab my throat, but I dodged his hand. I grabbed his throat, and with a pulse of power, lifted him up and then slammed him back head first into the Earth. My eyes pulsed as the ground swallowed his head, his body sticking up like a mockery of a tree. With all the strength that the power leant me, I stamped on his chest and broke it away from his neck.

The world was still coloured in green and I relished in the power that was rolling off me. Another vampire dropped from a tree on the other side of the clearing. It bent into a crouch and was preparing to leap at its unsuspecting target. Energy boomed within my body and I dashed across the clearing, dodging werewolves and vampires. As I was about to reach him I grasped at the back of a vampire being chased by the other Quileute as it tried to dash passed me. I threw the vampire I was holding at the other as it leapt from its crouch. The two collided into the tree one of the vampires had just leapt from and collapsed in a pile at its base. I slammed the earth with my hands and felt a surge of power surge into the tree. Roots burst from the ground and entangled the struggling vampires. They easily broke free of them, but the power I'd given the tree was making the roots grow faster than they could break them. I didn't give a signal or speak a Word, but I willed the roots to burst into flame. The fire didn't seem to affect the roots growth, but the vampires struggle became more urgent. I knew the outcome here, and turned to find more pray.

Jacob was close to catching a vampire, but lost his chance when it jumped into the trees above him. I leapt from the ground at the tree nearest me and with strength leant to me by this unknown power, pushed away from it. I sailed towards the newborn that had just escaped Jacob and had just enough time to enjoy the surprise on its face before I knocked him off the branch into Jacob's waiting jaws.

Seth's wolf-form appeared from the trees and joined the fray. I didn't pay much attention, but I was fairly sure he was favouring his right side. Werewolves healed incredibly quickly, for the injury to have lasted so long it must have been a painful blow.

I leapt down into the middle of the clearing, elated at the rolling waves of energy. I felt the power of the forest pulse under me and was overcome. The green tint to the world died away and the fire in my mind diminished as the power fled back to the Earth. The battle around me was impossible to define, without my talents everything was happening in blurs.

There was a cacophony of howls and trees burst into splinters. My pack was here.

Ian and Jack's wolf forms landed on either side of me and didn't move. Poised for action, one of them would occasionally stiffen when something got too close, but nothing ever made it through the packs defences. The dancing masses of brown and black were decorated by flying limbs of decimated vampires.

Ian and Jack were joined by Miriam, then Charlie. Finally, Chris and Ryan slowed enough for me to see them properly, instead of being blurs against the forest's green. They padded over, encircling me and leaving Jacob, Seth and his other pack mate on the outside.

Chris' large head cocked to the side with a slight whine. I nodded that I was okay; I wasn't sure they would trust my voice. The beginnings of a growl began in Ryan's throat. Jacob had started to pad over to where my pack was standing.

Now having the time to look at Jacob's wolf form I realised quite how massive he was. Jacob stood at least as tall as Jared at the shoulder and his colossal frame clearly didn't hinder his speed. Miriam's black form huffed at him; I knew they were all talking mind-to-mind but it had never been so frustrating to not be part of the conversation.

Ryan stopped his growl, but Chris moved forward to block Jacob's path. Jacob padded slowly forward towards Chris, then got down on his belly and looked up at him with dark eyes.

Whilst they were engaged in canine-epathy, I felt for the power at the back of my mind. There was nothing. Not a waning light, not a slight nip of power, just, nothing.

Panic started to build in my chest. Putting all of my power into something was dangerous. The spell I used to heal Ryan was set to work slowly and very carefully, it was constrained by a Word and would never drain me completely. I knew little of why I had the gifts I did or how they worked, but I knew my power was my life.

I pulled again at the stores of my power, but still, nothing. The massive reserves of power that had carried up to now had disappeared. I tried to push my mind out into the forest, looking to the spirits for energy. I never made it past the walls of my skull: it's an odd feeling, being claustrophobic in your own head.

Something must have been communicated around the pack. Wolf heads turned to look at me and the circle got a little tighter. Ian moved in close and nudged my hands with the top of his head. On rare occasions I had touched the minds of the pack whilst in wolf form to communicate. Opening up your mind to it was to be bombarded with sensory overload. Thoughts from the pack flew at you with no sense of order or priority to the point of near insanity. I'd worked with Jared and the pack and created a Word that allowed the pack members to keep a little of their privacy: a small wall at the back of their mind they could keep the closest things to them out of the pack mind. It required mental agility from the pack, but they'd wanted to close the door on their mind that said, "open all day, every day". Meditation and visualisation exercises had been second only to patrolling for months before we'd performed the spell. Everyone had been delighted to have a little more sense of self whilst a wolf.

I took a deep breath and felt Ian's fur through my fingers and searched for his mind. I found a small bump behind his ear and a twig caught in his fur.

I felt my heart beating faster and faster. The few times I'd drained my powers it had been in dire situations and I was often unconscious before I could spend it all. It was like a preservation instinct.

I closed my eyes and tried again, but all I got was nothing. I'd already started panicking and my breaths were getting shorter and shorter, quicker and quicker.

I should be dead. I didn't understand why I wasn't dead. My power was my life. No power, no life: that was how it worked. Was I going to die? Was it a slow process? Was it going to hurt?

The forest started spinning and I felt my knees connect with its floor. I pressed my hands to my temples to keep the world in focus but it didn't work. Nothing was working! This wasn't right! I didn't want to die! Hands touched my shoulders, snarls sounded in the background, but nothing mattered except the void. The massive hole I was trapped in by the walls of my own skull. Bile was rising up my throat and I choked on it. This was it. This was how I'd die. Surrounded by the strength and power of my pack, but lost to the nothing that was burning me away. I didn't want this! It wasn't right!

The emptiness at the back of my mind was pulling me towards it. I knew there would be peace in its darkness.

For a second, the smell of lavender, gentle and sweet quieted my senses and blocked everything out. It reminded me of home, or being safe.

That was what I wanted. Images flew through my mind of all the homes I remembered. There were so many: London, Brisbane, Hong Kong, New York, Oregon. I wretched again and choked on nothing. I think I could hear someone shouting my name.

With so much silence it boomed across my mind, a gentle glimmer of green like a star in the void. A huge and immeasurable power so far away it looked like a gentle pinprick of light. With a gasp of surprise I threw my mind at the light: "save me" I shouted through the void. Then I was nothing. Just gone.

I'd travelled through the spirits many times, but I'd never felt like I'd been pulled into their world. Was it possible the tiny point of light had pulled me to it?

Wherever I was, it was warm. I hadn't opened my eyes yet, but I felt the power in me. It was beating through my heart and riding my blood, not sat at the back of my mind. I didn't care about the difference; I was safe and going to be fine. It was back.

After a few seconds when I was sure the world was going to stay still, I opened my eyes.

Brown.

Not what I was expecting. The brown shifted in waves and the light danced off it, but it was still a wall of brown. My hands were gripping it tightly, I only noticed because the feeling was returning to my hands: I was gripping so hard that it hurt.

I let go and tried to gather my thoughts. With the acceptance of thought my legs wobbled dangerously. Apparently I was now standing.

The brown wall shifted to turn and look at me. Dark eyes met mine and my thoughts stopped.

Giant wolf.

Jacob.

I saw my pack looking at me from a few meters away. In a blind panic with no power to speak of, I'd used the spirits, or they'd pulled me, to Jacob.

Crap.

Miriam's tail was wagging enthusiastically, her tongue was hanging out in a very undignified manner and if a wolf could grin stupidly, that's what it would look like. Chris-wolf took a step forward towards us. Suddenly Jacob was all eight and a half feet tall and radiating menace. Chris involuntarily took half a step backwards under Jacob's sudden attention, I wasn't sure, but I think I might have heard Chris start to whine. I'm not sure who was more surprised, Chris or Jacob.

Miriam turned her head to Chris, and with a conversation that I still couldn't hear a decision was made.

Chris looked at Jacob for a moment before he trotted over to me. Jacob didn't move from his spot by my side, but his head moved to watch Chris for every step. Chris was an easy seven foot, maybe seven and a half at the shoulder. Jacob towered over him and the authority and control that came off him was unmistakable.

His large muzzle nudged my hand to his head. I hadn't quite come to grips with this new found, heart based power yet, but I caught a "be careful" and a sense of pride. Before he left, Chris' head came to near eye level with the ever-alert Jacob. Jacob dipped his head to whatever was agreed, and Charlie and Miriam growled a warning, you know, just in case.

Seth and the other Quileute turned to the side and disappeared into the forest, a howl in the distance signalled the rest of their pack waiting for them.

A second later I was alone with Jacob. The new clearing I was in was a mass of devastation. Trees, centuries old, were split down the middle. Segments of vampire corpses were littering the ground. Blood from injuries to my pack I now felt guilty for not noticing splattered the ground. In the middle of it all, was Jacob and me.

The events of the past five minutes hit me like a truck. I used Jacob's side to lower myself onto my knees and ran my fingers through the grass. Breathe in, feel the Earth, breathe out.

Jacob dropped himself onto his belly next to me. A huff of hot air that smelt a lot like wet dog blew into my face.

I shook the smell of dog away to smell wood smoke and spice.

I looked up and met his eyes. His fur glinted the light in odd directions so it wouldn't give his position away, his muscles were relaxed but still clear through his perfect coat. He looked so relaxed but still ready to pounce on anything that moved that he considered a threat.

A back pack landed perfectly on his muzzle. It even stayed there a few seconds before he mustered the indignity to shuffle it off. Jacob glared into the un-destroyed trees with a look that spoke of retribution. Retribution that possibly involved cling-film and toilet seats, werewolves went all out for their retribution.

Jacob carefully took the backpack in his massive jaws and disappeared into the tree line. My pack was unconcerned about their modesty, a side effect of loosing so many clothes to shifting. Yet when possible they always did their best to ensure essentials were covered, mainly because of me. It was another Jared enforced law that someone had apparently once tried to transgress as a joke. Jared had intercepted and the punishment was such I still didn't know who had tried to do it or what the punishment was.

Jacob returned wearing simple jogging bottoms. Or so he thought. The right pocket had been torn and was hanging out and there was a rip at the left knee.

Jared was wearing these trousers when he'd pulled me and Chris apart years earlier when we'd first met. I'd ripped the pocket away whilst aiming for Chris' throat and the injury to Jared's knee was supposed to have been my spine.

There was no way that Chris had these; Jared had to have given them to him. It was a very quite blessing from my Alpha. Where Jared was now, or why he hadn't joined us I didn't know.

Jacob, oblivious to my realisation, had run from his changing place and was now kneeling in front of me.

'What happened?' He was knelt on one knee, his hands were out as if to grab me. He sounded so worried, scared I'd break, but I didn't have an answer. All that was left was the adrenaline and the memory of the void burning my senses.

I tried to speak but all that came out was a croaked gasp. I tried to pull on the energy from my heart to help me but it wouldn't move. It pulsed through my body, keeping me alive, but was unresponsive to my touch. I looked at Jacob with despairing eyes, a sad face and a hollow soul. Jacob looked at me with affection, an affection that wouldn't ever change. That was a rare thing in normal human relationships, but in relationships were age wasn't always a variable, I realised, it was a prize to be treasured.

Like a sunrise, a power burst into existence. Flaming through my veins, the power running through my body pulled up and settled in the back of my mind. It didn't nip for attention, it justsimply was. It had a consciousness of its own: prideful, determined, exuberant, powerful, loving.

Loving.

It was Jacob.

It suddenly all made sense. I'd leapt up a Redwood racing him, jumped through the spirits with him, been saved from the ocean's call by him, been leant power by him, and now called home, by him.

All this extra power was from him.

I'm fairly sure my mouth was flapping trying to form sentences before I eventually managed to close it. There was so much I had to say, so much that he had to know. A hundred different things thrust themselves to the front of my mind, a million different things I wanted to say.

I grabbed his forearm and looked up to meet his eyes.

'Stay.' I whispered.

'Always.' He promised.

He shuffled towards me and pulled me into his arms. I buried my face in his neck and breathed him in. His scent helped calm my racing heart.

After a minute or two he pulled his head away, but his arms were still tightly wrapped around me.

'What happened?' He whispered. He nudged my nose with his and smiled a little. His eyes were warm and comforting. I nudged his nose back; I could feel his warm breath on my face.

'It's a long story.' My voice cracked. That was putting it mildly; this was one hell of a story. Jacob took a deep breath in and pulled away from me.

'Let's head back.' He said, 'My house isn't far and you can tell me your story.' He stood and offered me his hand.

We walked slowly back towards the beach in a companionable silence. After a while I felt a familiar glow at the back of my mind. It wasn't the sunrise or power I'd felt in the clearing, or the energy of Jacob's heart keeping me alive. This was my nipping; I'm going to drive you insane, get you lost in the ocean, pain-in-the-ass power.

I'd never been so relieved to feel it. The glow was barely anything and Jacob's strength was what was sustaining me, but it was good to know I was recovering. A little further on and I could hear the gulls that sounded the approach of the beach. I was a little nervous about visiting Jacob's house, if I was honest. I wasn't sure I was up to meeting his pack after the events of the afternoon. It wasn't that long ago that I was making pancakes and drinking coffee.

'You just got tense.' Jacob said, quite nonchalantly without looking at me. I appreciated his attempt to keep it light-hearted.

'I'm just worried about meeting the rest of your pack.' I said, aiming for nonchalance, but probably hitting wobbly-scared.

'What do you mean?' He glanced at me as we were stepping over thick tree roots.

'We're going back to your place.' I said, 'I'm worried about meeting your pack when we get there.'

Jacob frowned with confusion. 'I'm not taking you back to my house to meet my pack.' He sounded a little offended. 'I thought you'd like somewhere quiet.' He mumbled.

Now it was my turn to be confused. 'So your pack has gone out?' I asked, 'That was kind, but I don't want to be any trouble.' Although after the vampire attack, having them out on patrol did kind of make sense.

'What? No!' Jacob stopped and turned to me. 'Why would my pack be at my house?'

'Don't they, uh,' I had obviously missed something obvious here, 'you know, live there?'

Jacob looked at me like I had just told him that I'd just seen a three-headed monkey doing the Harlem Shake: a very odd mental picture.

'What?' Why-' Jacob looked very confused. So yes, I had missed something here.

'Sam lives with Emily, his fiancée.' Jacob sounded frustrated, 'Paul stays with us but only because he's imprinted on my sister, Rachel.'

'I didn't know you had a sister.' I mumbled. I felt like I should know everything about him. I shook my head a little to try and clear my thoughts. I'd only met this guy today.

'Two. Older twins.' He Jacob said with a smile.

'So you don't live with your pack?' I asked.

'Hell no!' He laughed, 'I'd probably end up going mental!' His smile dropped into confusion and he looked back at me.

'Wait, you do?'

'Of course we do.' I said, 'Our house in Oregon is beautiful.'

'This,' Jacob's eyes glazed over a little as he sped through his memories, 'makes so much more sense!'

'What does?' Baffled now.

'When I was talking to Chris in the clearing,' Jacob said, he had started pacing the ground between us, 'he was possessive, too possessive. I didn't like it; I thought he was making a claim".' Jacob growled the last part of the sentence. 'Thinking about it though, I've felt that with everyone from your pack when I've met them.' Jacob looked at me with wonder. 'I wouldn't have thought we'd be so different.'

'You don't live with your pack?' to my own ears I sounded incredulous.

Jacob swung his arm around my shoulders and we continued the walk to his house, Jacob with a huge grin on his face.

'Nope.' And that was enough for him. We continued our walk which eventually broke through a tree line and I could see houses that lined the border of Forks. Jacob was still wearing a huge grin.

'Have I missed something?' I asked with a smile; his grin was so bloody infectious.

'Yep.'

Apparently, that was all I was going to get.

There was something special about simply walking out of the tree line. We didn't "burst forth in a deadly splendour" nor did I "spread invisible wings across a tumultuous wind". We strolled, maybe even ambled. I liked the idea of ambling.

After we crossed the beach Jacob jogged up some stairs to the back door of his house. Like Oregon, nobody you knew used the front door. As Jacob's quick twist of the door handle attested that they didn't lock them either.

'Welcome.' It was a simple word, but it seemed to hold more weight than you'd expect. My pack had given consent for me to be brought here, and they would have thought that Jacob's pack would be here too. What did they think was happening?

I walked slowly up the steps. It might be an empty house, but accepting hospitality had strings attached. Sadly, I wasn't sure what they were.

The door closed behind me and we were in a modest, log built house. Jacob was a strong leader and proud pack member, I don't know why but I assumed this would mean a grand house or expensive flat. I was glad I was wrong. Everything here had character, or a story to tell: I wouldn't have traded it for a three story house in the Orange County.

'The living room is there.' Jacob said, pointing me toward a door. We walked past it and he gestured to a small kitchen, 'bathroom's through there, my dad and sister's rooms are down there,' a small corridor led away from the kitchen, 'Oh, and my room.' He pulled the slightly ajar door closed, hiding the messy floor.

I followed him into the small kitchen, 'You have a lovely home.' There were little signs all over the place that spoke volumes on the house and its inhabitants. The Native American signs were there, but subtly. There were no wall hangings that leapt out at you, but a small hand-made carving there, or a charm here. The kitchen itself was small, but practical and had a small table to one side.

Jacob ushered me into one of the wooden chairs then started moving around the kitchen with a practiced ease. After a few swift movements the gas stove was lit and Jacob had joined me on the other side of the table whilst waiting for the kettle to boil.

Jacob leant forward on his elbows and looked at me with a small smile. His tall frame dwarfed the small table. He went to pull my hands into his, but stopped himself and pulled back, resting his head on his hands instead.

'I keep forgetting that this is all so different for you.' He said. I didn't understand the feelings caused by the imprint, but I knew they were strong. It was a testament to his control that he was going about this the way he was.

'You need time,' he continued, 'I'll do my best to not make this too much.'

'Thanks.' I mumbled. I didn't know where to look, so just stared at my hands resting on the table.

'What happened in the forest?' He asked, 'You don't have to tell me though.' He hurried the last part out quickly. I smiled at the insecurity.

'When we heard Seth's howl and jumped off the cliff, we flew through the spirits.' I started.

'Yeah!' I looked up and saw his grin, 'that is amazing, by the way.' I smiled and nodded.

'I've only ever gone a few meters through the spirits, but twice I've done it with you and gone so much further: nearly the entire forest when we were after Seth.' Jacob looked a little more serious now and nodded for me to go on.

'There is always a sense of energy at the back of my mind.' I explained, 'I always felt that it was like a squatter who was good with a screwdriver. You didn't want him, but he was good to have around.'

Jacob's eyes hadn't left me and he was closely following everything I said.

'A jump through the spirits like that should have wiped me out, but I still had power raring and ready to go. I leapt up and chased you through the trees and managed to send a message to my pack through the spirits.' I looked at Jake squarely in the eyes. 'My power is connected to my life: no power, no life. Looking back at it, that message should have killed me.'

Jacob looked alarmed and his hand grabbed mine involuntarily. He made an effort to look comforting and rubbed circles with his thumb on the back of my hand. This rubbing circles thing was very distracting.

'Then the vampires landed and my powers went... well, mental. The world shifted,' I paused, I needed to put this into a bit more context, 'I can fight vampires.' I said, 'Not a problem, more than a match for them.' Jacob flashed me a grin.

'Yeah you are.' He smiled with pride.

'But today I did things I've never been able to do. My mother was incredible and could become an Avatar, become one with the Earth and its spirits, but I've never been even close to that.'

The kettle started to scream and made Jacob jump. He quickly took it off the stove, poured water into two huge mugs and brought them over to us.

Bergamot and lemon.

I laughed as he handed me the mug. 'You're telling me that werewolves drink Earl Grey?' Jacob shrugged and took his seat opposite me.

I held the mug in my hands and stared at the steam rising from the dark water.

'I scared myself today. Where all this power was coming from didn't matter, I just wanted to use it.' I spoke into the vapours.

'You killed vampires.' Jacob said defensively, then again with a smile, 'You were awesome.'

I smiled thanks, but shook my head. 'I shouldn't have been able to do any of that. The flaming root-thing, hell, being able to move after I sent the message to my pack should have been out of the question!'

I paused for a second to calm myself down and took a sip of the hot tea.

'Mm. This is good.' Jacob nodded and waited for me to continue.

'Then my pack got there, things calmed down and all the extra power disappeared.' I struggled with the end of the sentence. The memory of the void came back in full force. 'There was no power left in me. Absolutely nothing. There was just this horrible, empty nothing that felt like it was pulling me in.'

'You said with no power, you'd die.' Although I was sitting opposite him, Jacob sounded so worried.

'You saw what happened.' I replied, 'I don't know how much was 'no power' and how much was pure panic.' I remembered the scent of lavender cutting through the air, but decided that this wasn't the time for that conversation.

'Then I saw a pulse of energy, the energy that I'd been using up until then.' I carried on, taking another sip of hot tea. 'It felt like the spirits pulled me towards it, and that's when I ended up next to you.'

Jacob's face was an odd mix of emotion, but 'pleased' seemed to sum up most of them. He took a sip of tea to try and hide it. If he burst into his 'happy dance', I'd kill him.

'That was pretty much the time I figured out where all this extra power had come from.' I mumbled. For some reason I'd gotten to this part and was suddenly embarrassed.

'And?' Jacob asked.

With a sigh I looked up at Jacob, 'It was you.' I said, 'You were the source of power that let me do all those things. You were what kept me alive when my power was spent.'

Jacob stared at me blankly for a moment. Then he grew the biggest grin I've ever seen.

'You're pleased with this aren't you?' I asked, deadpan. Jacob just nodded enthusiastically. I sighed and shook my head at him. 'Plays right into this imprinting thing doesn't it?' He just carried on nodding.

I stared at my tea and the vapours coming off it. 'I think I'm going to need something a little stronger.'

Jacob's stomach rippled with laughter. He put my tea on the table and took my hands in his, holding them between our faces. 'I'm glad I could help you.'

The laughter was still in his eyes and voice, but I had no doubt that he was being genuine. He calmed a little before carrying on. His face was so close to our hands I could feel his breathe on my fingers.

'What does this mean?' He asked. His breathe on my fingers? Almost as distracting at the rubbing circles thing; bonfire and spice was starting to drown out the smell of bergamot and lemon.

'I have no idea.' I sighed. I felt Jacob's power lying quietly in the back of my mind, resting next to the nipping presence of my own. My own power was growing at a steady pace, but it seemed to be a little easier to control this time, I could only guess it was Jacob's power settling it down. The image of one larger dog calming a yipping puppy came into my head.

'And you're okay now?' He asked. I nodded at him.

'Honestly, for a while I was just using your energy to keep moving, but I'm running on my own batteries now.' I said. I was still thinking about this big dog and puppy thing.

Jacob winked at me over our hands, 'You can use my batteries any time.' He laughed.

'So,' Jacob carried on, 'if you used our power without thinking and managed to be totally incredible, could you do more now you know about it?'

It was a very sensible question. I was thinking about it when Jacob started chuckling. I caught his eye and he just started laughing more.

'What?' Jacob settled himself down with a guilty grin.

'You cock your head to the side when you're thinking,' he said, 'you look like a confused dog.'

'I do not!' I said indignantly, which had Jacob in hysterics. I sat there with my arms crossed, huffing at his laughing.

'I'm sorry,' he gasped, 'I just wasn't expecting it.' My raised eyebrow of reproach issued forth another below of laughter.

'I'm totally getting another werewolf.' I grumbled.

Jacob put an effort in reigning in his laughter. He had to wipe a couple of tears away, but he got there in the end. It gave me a while to think about what Jacob had asked. Compared to my mother and Nan, my natural powers were very limited. That was why my knowledge of 'lesser gifts' as my mother had put it was so extensive. By the time I was fourteen I could make potions people dedicated to the craft spent their lifetimes trying to perfect. I didn't like to use the word prodigy, but, well, it would have been appropriate. My mother had spent years trying to teach me how to push and harness the spirits. There were spells that I would never have been able to perform without her, Words I wouldn't have dared whispering, but now with Jacob's help...

'No.' I didn't hear myself say it, but apparently I said it with enough finality to stop Jacob from laughing. I pulled my hand out of his warm ones and instantly my entire body seemed cold.

'Did I do something wrong?' Jacob was all worry, 'I'm sorry for laughing it was just-'

'It's not that. Just, with this power-' I said without emotion. I needed to start again, 'There's a history with power, with too much.' I remembered my mother's passing, my Nan's sermon over her funeral. She had whispered something when she thought nobody was listening: Nobody should have to bury their child. Go to the Goddess my Love.

Jacob nearly snapped to attention as soon as he realised he'd missed the shift in mood.

'But you asked a good question.' I said, 'And yes, there is a lot more I could do.'

'You don't have to.' He said quickly, 'we have time; you don't have to do anything you don't want to.'

'Power without practice is power without control.' I'd even managed to say it with my Nan's tone. 'If I have access to power, I need to know how to control it.' I said. I looked up at Jacob and gave him my best smile. 'We'd have to spend time together to do it, but-'

'I'm okay with that.' Jacob said, with a stern face. It lasted a couple of seconds before his massive grin was back. 'Really, I'm okay with that.' Jacob still had his elbows on the table with his hands at our eye level. I took hold of his hands and smiled when I felt his heat pulse through me. There was a clue there. His body heat just passed through me like I was a conductor. It was too early to tell, but I filed that little titbit away for future reference.

'So, do you remember our agreement?' Jacob asked with a wary smile. I assumed I looked confused because he rolled his eyes at me.

'You and I,' he said slowly as he pointed to me, then himself as if talking to the incompetently stupid, 'are going to talk to Jared.'

'No,' I interrupted, 'I was going to talk to Jared. You were not involved in the initial talking "not getting anybody killed" part of the deal.' Jacob frowned.

'You're going without me?' He asked, almost disbelieving. Suddenly, it was really hard to say "yes", but there was more riding on this than me and Jacob. Jacob saw my decision in my eyes and body language before I'd said anything. He pulled his hands out of mine and tried to shrink into the small chair that held his massive frame.

I didn't want to go. For a second I couldn't remember why I would leave at all before it all came back.

'Is there a good place to meet with Jared around here?' I asked, Jacob's head popped up and I could see his brain working like cogs in a machine. 'Somewhere quiet?'

'Yes.' Jacob's eyes were still distant as he thought about the place. He focused and looked at me, nodding his head towards the back door.

Once outside and down the stairs, it was less than a minute before we were in the forest again. I stopped and pulled at Jacob's hand. He looked at me with confusion before I smiled up at him.

'You know where we're going?' I asked. He nodded his response.

I raised my hand to his cheek. 'Can I see?' I couldn't explain his expression: he was confused, but so trusting. I could feel he wanted to prove everything he said even though he meant it and although I knew it already.

An image flashed in my mind of an old tree. It grew from one trunk, but about four feet from the ground it split: one was a birch and the other an oak. Even the Earth couldn't explain all her mysteries.

This was where we were headed. It was only a few hours ago I had felt my pack's mind, so sending my power into the forest, especially with Jacob's burning energy at my back was easy. I found them quickly. Now the forest was quiet its creatures were out and I saw Jared back at the log house with my pack, quietly sitting on the porch.

'Can I use your power?' I asked. It was such a hollow question without an explanation. Power was life; to use someone else's was a treasured gift. Jacob looked at me in a way that told me everything I needed to know.

I tugged at the power I felt from Jacob. It was sluggish and hard to draw, but there was so much of it that was probably a good thing.

Using it, I sent a flash to Jared through the squirrel that was watching him. I saw his head jerk up through the squirrel's eyes before it ran off into the leaves. Jared was coming.

I opened my eyes to be greeted by Jacob's quizzical look. 'Something just happened.' He said.

'That was me showing Jared where we'd meet.' Jacob nodded his understanding. 'I used your power to do it.'

'I didn't really feel anything.' Jacob said. I shook my head again in disbelief and gave him a wry smile.

'If I had all my power, sending a message like that would have put me on my ass for a day or two.' I said.

Jacob's eyes widened. He was starting to understand what his reserves of power meant for me. 'We need to get going, Jared is coming.'

Jacob straightened and turned to face into the forest. He had just gone from gentle companion to a nearly six and a half foot badass looming above me. Without a cue, we were both running through the forest. Now I knew how much power pulsed through Jacob, I knew he was holding back so I could keep up without trying.

The forest flew past us and I revealed in the feeling of freedom with Jacob at my side. For a moment, I felt his joy and elation as he darted through the trees. I could smell the scents of the forest and knew its movements before they disappeared, and then I was back in my own body.

Jacob skidded to a halt. I was so caught up in running through the trees that I didn't notice and tried to stop too late. I hit the wall of Jacob's chest who carefully put me back on my feet. I was still grinning like an idiot from my flight through the forest and it made Jacob smile.

A rustle of leaves and a snapping of branches signalled the purposefully loud approach of my Alpha. He was doing his best to alert us of his coming so we didn't startle. Jared came out of the trees wearing another, not ripped, pair of jogging bottoms. I had known Jared for years, but this was the first time that I had felt like an 'other', not part of his pack.

Jared walked forward, and Jacob met him eye to eye.

'This,' I thought, 'was going to be interesting.'

They just seemed to be looking at each other, but I knew there was more to it. Comparing them, they were both so similar. They were nearly the same height, although Jacob had another half inch on Jared, both broad at the shoulder with muscles wrapped around their frames.

I had never met someone who I thought could challenge Jared. If these two went at it though, here and now, I had no idea who would come out of it.

Their shoulders seemed to relax at the same time and they shook hands.

'Thank you for coming.' Jacob said, I was surprised at his genuinely grateful tone.

'Any time.' He replied. He looked at me and smiled, 'Did you get my message?' There was a sly smirk on his face. I thought of the ripped jogging bottoms that Jacob was wearing and smiled.

'I got it.' I said, 'Thanks.'

Jared spun on the spot and leapt up into the crook of the tree we were stood against. His massive body just glided smoothly and landed almost without a sound. The crook he was sitting in was only four feet off the ground, but that meant he was looking over us both.

This kind of felt like a Hearing you'd have in court. Maybe it was. That thought didn't sit well in between the big dog and nipping puppy already in my head.

Jared gestured with open hands, 'what can I do for you both?'

'I-' We both started, 'We-', we both tried again. Jacob squeezed my hand and met my eyes.

'I've imprinted on a member of your pack.' He said, his brown eyes had locked onto mine. He tore his gaze away and looked up at Jared. Accepting Jared's being in a higher position was an admission to being lower in authority. I wasn't sure how important that was, but I appreciated it all the same.

'I would like permission to meet the rest of your pack with my mate.' Whoa! "Mate"? Where had that come from?

The shock was obviously clear on my face because Jared was suddenly all eyes on me. I'd known Jared for a long time and could see that he was ready to jump down to defend his pack member if he needed to.

'How do you feel about this?' He asked. I felt a lot of formality here that I didn't understand. I had a couple of wise-ass comments to make about being "mated" to someone without my permission, but I let them slide.

'This is all new to me,' I said, 'but there is a link between us.' I thought for a moment on whether to mention my new access to Jacob's strength, but let it go for the time being. A less formal setting in a situation I understood would be a better moment.

'I miss you guys.' I mumbled. Jared nodded at me and smiled his understanding: we miss you too, it said. Had it only been this morning that I woke up next to him on the sofa?

'This is a simple request, but one that risks consequences that could be dangerous.' Jared was speaking as if he had practiced this. Jacob nodded his understanding.

'Tensions between pack members are high and an incident could mean war.' Jared continued, 'Is this worth the risk?'

'Yes.' Jacob said without a pause, his hand squeezed mine tighter.

'I have terms.' Jared replied. He said it like he was striking a funeral bell. 'First, you shall meet my pack in my house.'

'Agreed.' Jacob replied.

'You act with behaviour becoming of a guest in our house.' Jared spoke the next term. This was what I meant about wolf-politics. This was a simple request but the pregnant pause Jacob left before agreeing to it meant there was more to it.

'You are not to be alone with Jeremy or Ryan.' Jared said.

'Done.'

'And finally, you must not abandon responsibilities to your own pack. That includes time spent with them and judgements made.' I knew this was coming and Jared was waiting for his answer.

'I will,' Jacob said, straightening up as if for a fight, 'but this agreement will not create extra responsibilities or cause me to make a decision I wouldn't have done otherwise.'

I saw the flash of worry in Jared's face. That was a weird answer; there were clearly things happening within the Uley pack that we didn't know about.

Jared leapt down from the tree. 'Then you shall meet the pack.' Jared took a few steps toward me, 'In your own time, of course.' He backflipped onto his hands and landed as a seven and a half foot black and brown wolf. It sounded a howl into the air, and he was gone.

'Well,' I huffed into the silence, 'I think that went well.' I looked over at Jacob who was smiling at me. 'Did it go well?'

'I get to meet your pack, which means I get to stay with you.' He pulled me into a celebratory hug. Hug-rape, this was what I was talking about.

'What was that about no more extra responsibilities?' I asked. He shook his head gently at me.

'Nothing important, just wanted to cover my bases.' He tightened his arms a little and nudged my nose with his. 'I'm meeting your pack.'

'Yes, you are.' I don't think I sounded entirely pleased about it.

'Who are Ryan and Jeremy?' He asked. He didn't sound jealous, but there was definite potential for a growl in the question.

'Ryan was surprised by a vampire, probably in the same way they attacked us in the forest.' I answered, 'It did a lot of damage, and I couldn't heal it all the way I normally would. I was in a weird power-deprived coma for nearly four days to make sure he survived.' I felt the growl rumble through Jacob's chest before I heard it.

'Fucking vampires.' He snarled.

'He's been over-protective since.' I said.

'Okay,' Jacob seemed to understand that. I breathed and internal sigh of relief. 'What about Jeremy?'

'You know how packs defend their weaker members?' I asked. Jacob nodded.

'They know I can hold my own: when on patrol, in a fist fight, sparring, fighting vampires,' I said, 'but when we're together, I'm not in danger, so my powers aren't, um, well "on" .'

'So?'

'Werewolves have super strength and speed even in human form. Sometimes they forget I'm not a werewolf.' Jacob's arms tightened a little more in response. A sweet, protective gesture, but I still needed to breathe. I winced a little and squirmed at his embrace and he seemed to get the idea and loosened up.

'I had more than a few bruises and actually broke a collarbone before Jeremy decided that it was his duty to protect me from stupid injuries. I think there's some wolf "I'm not the weakest in the pack if I'm guarding another pack member" thing going on, but I always thought it was cute.'

Jacob grunted an understanding. 'And the others?'

'Jared you've met, and Chris, our Beta.' I said, 'In the clearing, you and Chris?'

'I thought he was claiming you,' He said simply, 'I made it clear I didn't like it.'

Mental note, my imprinting mate is a tad possessive and mental.

'Ian and his brother Charlie are cool. Ian makes a point of looking out for me on patrol; I'm much better in a fight and safer if I know what's coming.' Jacob nodded his understanding.

'Charlie is a thrill seeker,' I said, 'mention you've been through the spirits with me and he'll be putty in your hands.' Jacob barked a laugh but calmed himself to carry on.

'Miriam and Jack won't be a problem, they're imprinted on each other and Miriam has been very supportive.'

'I've met her,' He said, 'She brought me those shorts.'

'Yeah, those shorts are hard to forget.' We both snorted a laugh when it occurred to me how long I'd been this close to Jacob. I gently pushed against his chest and he let me out of his arms to stand a civilised distance apart. I hated civilised.

'And that's the lot. You ready?' I asked. He just looked at me with determined eyes: I'd never imagined brown eyes could burn, but if they did, this was what it looked like.

'Let's go.' He was already guiding me towards the house my pack was living in. As we walked, I tried one of the new things I might be able to pull-off now I had Jacob's power at the back of my mind.

It was like carrying three people around in one head. I knew what I wanted to happen, enthusiastic puppy wanted to throw power it didn't have around and older, calmer dog didn't want to do much of anything.

I started it with my own power, nipping and ready to be used for something new and exciting, and as the link grew, power started to cipher from Jacob's never moving log of power.

I saw where I wanted us to be. Our log cabin just a short distance from the beach, I could even feel the souls there moving around. It was a hive of activity; Jared had made it back and they knew we were coming. Ian was already on the borders of the property ready to alert the pack to our coming.

Good luck.

'Trust me?' I asked Jacob.

'Always.' The slight smile spoke of trust and forever.

'Close your eyes.' Without a second of hesitation, he closed them.

I pushed the power I'd gathered from the nipping puppy, and it pulsed through me, through my hands and suddenly, Jacob and I were nothing. The puppy was pushed aside by the old dog, and it guided us as we travelled.

We flew through trees, animals, for seconds we were nothing but empty space. Then we hit the ground running. I had done my best to bring us about half a mile from our house. That was travelling four miles through the spirits.

Finally, I had a number: four miles through the spirits. Three days ago that was not even imaginable. I laughed as we ran and Jacob tried to get ahead of me, the puppy yipped power into my legs, keeping me apace with Jacob. I heard Ian howl behind us, frustrated we'd made it passed him without him noticing.

We slowed as we made it up the winding pathway to the house and its front porch. Jared was standing there alone.

We came to a stop at the bottom of the steps.

'Welcome.' He said as he gestured towards the front door.

Damn it! I needed to learn more about wolf hospitality because these "unknown strings" were becoming annoying.

I felt Jacob breath in, and this time I squeezed his hand in assurance. "We'll be fine" it said.

We walked up the stairs together and I opened the door to the house.

Miriam and Jack were stood near the door. Jack had a welcoming smile and Miriam was beaming with delight. Charlie and Ryan were diplomatically having a conversation at the back of the living room near the kitchen so not all eyes were on us. Jeremy was sat quietly by the window on the opposite wall staring at the floor.

Chris walked over to us smiling. 'Glad you're okay kid. You had us worried.' He said ruffling my hair.

'And good to meet you in person.' Chris shook Jacob's hand. Jacob didn't smile back, but he nodded his head in acknowledgment.

'Come and meet the guys.' Chris said, and walked us over to Miriam and Jack. I could tell Miriam was restraining herself. She was virtually bouncing on her toes with glee at Jacob and me being together in the pack house.

'Good to meet you.' Jack said, shaking Jacob's hand. 'Congratulations too.' He said. Miriam laughed at my confused expression and pulled me in for a quick hug.

'Congratulations on his imprinting, dummy.' She laughed, 'I'm so pleased for you.'

'Okay Miri,' Chris interrupted, 'let's not get too mushy. Come on Jacob, let's introduce you to the rest.'

Jeremy was next around the room. He was still sitting in the chair by the window. He looked up at us as we walked over, but made a point of not looking at Chris. His weight was shifted to his right side and his left arm was resting in his lap.

'You okay Jer?' I frowned.

He nodded and held his hand out to Jacob. Jacob shook it gently with another stern nod.

'It's nice to meet you.' Jeremy said quietly. Who was this and where was the real Jeremy? The last time I'd seen him he was challenging Chris about his decisions about Jacob. The memory of Jeremy shoving Chris flashed through my mind. That was right, Jeremy had challenged Chris. Suddenly, Jeremy's absence from the fight in the forest and his injured arm, and possibly a few others, made sense. Chris had answered his challenge and poor Jeremy would be feeling it for a while. To be fair, Chris was within his rights to kill him; Jeremy had gotten off light.

I smiled at him and gave his right shoulder a squeeze. I didn't approve of him challenging Chris, but his motives had been good.

Next were Charlie and Ryan. Jacob had been far too sullen as we walked around so as Charlie and Ryan turned I gave him a poke in the ribs.

'This is Charlie,' I gestured, 'and Ryan. Guys, you fought together in the forest.'

'Oh I remember!' Charlie grinned and slapped his hand against Jacob's with an enthusiastic hand shake. 'You've got some moves!'

'Uh, thanks.' Jacob mumbled. I poked him in the ribs again, subtly I hoped. 'But uh, that's nothing. On our way here,' Jacob put his arm around my shoulders, 'we did this disappearing, travelling through the forest thing. Awesome!'

Charlie's mouth fell open.

'Dude!' Charlie pointed at him and looked at me accusingly, 'I've always wanted to do that!'

'It seems to be a "me and him" thing at the minute.' I said, I swear I could feel Miriam's smile getting bigger as she eavesdropped on the conversation. Unfortunately Ryan's gaze was locked onto the arm that was around my shoulders. I held the hand that was hung over my shoulder for a second and then pulled it down in what I hope was a very quiet and natural movement; if it wasn't nobody commented on it. 'But if and when I can carry passengers Charlie, you'll be the first to know.

'Damn straight.' Charlie held his fist out to me; I bumped it with mine and we did our handshake routine. 'You look good.' He said and then looked over to Jacob. The smile was still on Charlie's face, but there was no humour in his eyes. 'You keep it that way,' he said to Jacob, 'and you're okay by me.'

Ryan was next. Oh boy.

'Ryan,' Jacob held his hand out to Ryan. Ryan stared at it for a few seconds before shaking it reluctantly.

Ryan let go of his hand and looked at me. 'Are you okay?'

'I'm fine Ryan, really.' I gave him my best reassuring smile, but I don't think he believed me.

'I heard about th-' Jacob started, but Ryan looked back at him and interrupted.

'Are you breaking up our pack?' Chris growled a warning. The sounds of conversation behind us carried on as if nothing was happening, but I knew they could hear everything that was going on.

I was watching Jacob carefully. The nipping puppy was up and raring to go and even the Old Dog had woken up to pay attention. Then, Jacob smirked, actually smirked, at the so very explosive comment made whilst he was surrounded by another pack.

'No.' He said simply but then looked at me and raised his eyebrows in comical curiosity, 'unless,' he continued, 'you want to go?'

'I'm good with my pack.' I laughed.

'If that's what you want.' Jacob turned to look back down on Ryan. 'If anyone tries to break it up,' Jacob's arm was back around my shoulder again, 'let me know.'

Ryan's face didn't move for a few seconds before he nodded and held his hand out again. This time the handshake looked genuine and Ryan even ghosted a smile.

'Just so you know, if you fuck this up,' Ryan nodded to me and Jacob, 'I will end you.' Jacob returned the handshake.

'Agreed.'

With a smile, I turned to look at Chris. Apart from Ian, we'd spoken to everyone and nobody seemed to be dead and/or dying. I took that as a good sign.

The door opened and Jared walked in with Ian behind him. Ian was carrying two large carrier bags that were obviously laden with weight.

'After our last one went so well, I thought we'd have a barbecue.' Jared said. This was met with enthusiastic howls from Charlie, Jack and Miriam. Ryan smiled and moved into the kitchen for supplies and Chris told Jeremy to pack up some games to bring with us. Jeremy moved from his chair with effort and my heart sagged to see the effort it took for him to move around. His back was obviously sore: injuries to inflict damage like that on a werewolf would have broken a human in half. I had already started plotting how I could heal some of it away when I met Jared's gaze. Something about him, I assume it was an Alpha thing, locked his eyes with mine. I knew that he knew what I was planning and he simply shook his head with a stern look. I gave him a sad shrug of my shoulders and looked up at Jacob.

'Done good?' Jacob asked.

I pulled his arm a little closer around me and watched his smile erupt into a thousand terawatt beam.

'Done good.' I said.

DaniCz - Thanks for the review. I'm having a great time writing it and am pleased you like it!

Troy123 - I've had the idea for the story for a while. There is going to be another's POV at some point, probably Jareds, but it's by no means decided yet.


	4. A day of forever?

In the time that it had taken Jared to walk over to us, Charlie had put his iPhone into a dock and was blasting out tunes as we got ready to go to the beach. Jared and Jacob had a quiet conversation that I couldn't make out through the... what was this?

'Charlie!' I shouted over the power chords, 'Is this Bon Jovi?' Charlie nodded with a cheesy grin. I grabbed a pillow from the back of the sofa behind me and threw it at him. He let it hit him in the face and he fell to the floor dramatically as if in a Shakespearean drama. Bon Jovi continued to blast through the cabin.

I looked back up to the massive figures beside me having a suspiciously quite conversation. Jacob nodded at Jared and Jared gave him an agreeable slap on the shoulder before disappearing out the door.

Jacob looked down at me and in explanation simply said: 'Party time.' Then he smiled at me and I forgot why I was being suspicious.

We made it to the beach with just enough sunlight for me to help build the bonfire. When the six-foot pyre was built, Ian jogged over with the lighter fluid and in less than a minute orange flames were licking the sky. I was sitting on a blanket staring into the flames when Jacob dropped down beside me.

Jeremy was sitting apart from us on the edge of the bonfire's light, watching over a few disposable barbecues. The smell of burgers and sausages was mouth watering, although with all this meat I was beginning to get salad cravings. Miriam and Ian wandered over to us and quietly sat down to enjoy the fire.

'Hey! We're one short for football!' Charlie shouted from further up the beach. 'Is one of you gonna get off your ass?'

'Not me.' Miriam shook her head.

I caught Jacob's eye and nodded towards Charlie's direction. Jacob seemed to think about it before leaping to his feet. He gave my shoulder a quick squeeze before he jogged off past the bonfire to the rest of the pack.

There were a few cheers, a miniature scuffle between Charlie and Ryan for the ball then their game started. I had no idea what was happening because they were too far away and past the light of the bonfire, but that mattered little to them. The Nipping Puppy at the back of my mind wasn't quite up to full strength, but was well on his way there. Quietly watching was the Old Dog, the power curled up in Jacob that I could somehow draw on.

With all the power that had been pushed through my body today, I was knackered. Had it really only been a single day? Was it just this morning that I was sparring with Chris? Since then I'd: met Jacob, climbed a small cliff, raced through the spirits, fought vampires, wiped my powers out, thought I was dying, been to Jacob's house and now he was playing football with my pack. Now here I am sitting in front of a bonfire, about to eat yet another burger and I am completely and utterly spent.

'You've had a long day.' Jared said. He moved so he was sat next to me on the blanket, gazing at the fire.

'It has felt like a long day.' I sighed. Jared put his arm around my shoulder and gently ruffled my hair with his hand.

'The Quileutes are on their way down. Jacob said that you haven't met them yet.' He said. Miriam looked up at us, puzzled.

'The Quileutes don't live together as a pack.' I said in explanation. Miriam frowned in confusion, but I just shrugged in response. I didn't get it either.

Jared sighed, almost sadly. 'I want to give this,' he pointed at where I assume Jacob was playing, 'more time, but we don't have it.'

'We'll keep up.' I said, I think I noticed a hint of defence in my voice. Jared nodded with a small smile on his face.

'You need to meet his pack, then we need to meet the Cullens.' He said. 'I'm sorry we could only give you today.'

I put my arm around his shoulders and gave his shoulder a squeeze.

'Jared, today has probably been one of the longest days in my life.' I smiled up at him and Miriam, 'It's enough.'

Someone howled and I heard more movement along the beach. The Quileutes were here.

'Ready?' Jared whispered. He sounded more nervous than I was.

I looked up at him with a sly grin and winked, 'Yes boss.'

He ruffled my hair again with a laugh as a shadow blocked the light of the bonfire. Jacob was stood between us; he nodded at Jared and held his hand out to me.

'Come meet some friends?' he asked. I couldn't tell if he sounded proud or anxious, but he pulled me up from the blanket all the same and all I felt was a quiet calm.

Jared was already up and was walking towards Sam and his pack. By the time that we got there Sam and Jared and just finished shaking hands.

'It's good to see you again.' Sam said, nodding to me. I heard Jacob breathe in before he took a step forward.

'This is the rest of my pack.' He gestured to everyone with a hand. 'You've met Sam, this is Jared, our Beta,' A brown haired man behind Sam nodded his head.

'You've already met Paul,' Jacob nearly growled, 'Seth and Leah.' I had to hold in a laugh as Seth grinned at me. Leah gave me a nod and looked a little less severe than I remember.

'The two guys hiding at the back are Brady and Collin.' I had to do a double take on this one. Brady and Collin couldn't have been more than thirteen. To have such a responsibility at that edge made me feel so sad for them.

To the side of Brady and Collin stood Embry and another person I didn't recognise. Tall, with brown hair and russet skin, he shifted, a little uncomfortable in the situation.

'You know Embry, and that's Quil, Sam's half-brother.' Quil mumbled a "hi", then did everything he could to avoid making eye contact.

A couple of seconds rolled by in an awkward silence, I was seriously expecting a tumble weed to roll between us.

Well, 1-0 to our pack in the "introducing new people in a non-awkward fashion" category.

'So, uh-' I could see Jacob grasping for conversation. I was half tempted to leave him to it; the look on his face was almost comical.

'I'm really glad you could all make it.' I interrupted Jacob's floundering for talking-topics, 'La Push is beautiful.' Paul snorted, but I continued over him.

'The guys have been chucking a ball around,' I caught Embry's eye, 'although I bet they'd be up for a challenge if anyone wanted to get involved?' Embry looked at Quil and nudged him in the ribs.

'Seth, Jeremy's having a quiet night on cooking detail, I think he'd kill for some company?' Seth grinned and went to start running before stopping and looking to Leah. Leah gave him a sharp nod before looking at me. Leah looked at Jeremy through the dark and gave me an understanding nod before following her brother; something gave me the impression she'd been sat on the sidelines before too. She moved less than a few feet from me but if I hadn't have seen her, I would never have known she was there: so quiet and fluid.

'I'll be by the fire.' I said, 'If you'd like to speak to me that is where I'll be. I think I have some wine and beers, Jeremy will let us know when food's ready.'

Jared rested his hand on the bottom of my pack, there was no telepathy but I know it meant "thank you". Jacob looked so relieved I think his shoulders sagged enough for him to lose five inches off his height.

'You're just going to let us be told where to go?' Paul sounded incredulous. He was glaring at the back of Sam's head with impunity. 'In our own lands!'

Sam turned his head slightly to the side and whispered, 'Enough'. I took the distraction to step slowly next to Jacob.

Paul obviously wasn't finished, he pushed forward passed his Beta and stood just behind Sam. If I was their Beta, I'd be furious.

'You can't let this... this... mutant think that they're welcome,' he ranted. I slipped my hand into Jacob's and gave it a squeeze. A member of Jacob's pack had challenged their Beta and was arguing with their Alpha about his "mate". If Jacob went furry and ripped Paul's head off, it wouldn't surprise me.

There was a strange feeling in the back of my mind. I had spent my life living with the volatile highs and lows of my power, but this was like a rising tide.

It took me a while, but I quickly understood. The Old Dog was going to war. Jacob's power was rolling through him and overwhelming the link I had newly acquired.

Sam's Beta, another Jared, grabbed Paul's arm from behind. Paul only gave pause before carrying on. 'It's fucked! You even let it go that he's imprinted on a fucking-'

Sam didn't say anything, but his Beta pulled Paul backwards and was stood in between everybody and Paul.

Sam stood straight and looked at Jared. 'I apologise, tensions are still a little high.'

Jared gave him a grimace of understanding and nodded. Sam looked at Jacob with a worried expression. I could still feel the power ebbing through him; it was buzzing at the edge of my senses. The Nipping Puppy wanted to go for a joy ride with it, but I didn't think my muscles, already spent from a day of power, could channel anything even if they wanted to. With Jacob's power out of my control, mine was yapping to be let out.

Physically aching, I tugged on Jacob's hand. It took him a few seconds before turning his head to me. His expression hadn't changed from when he was glaring at Paul. There was no anger in his eyes; just an instinctive need to protect what he thought was his. There was no logic, reasoning or diplomacy, just unrivalled savagery if the cause arose.

It was simple, primitive and at the same time absolutely terrifying that it was me that caused it.

I tugged at his hand again and he slowly took a step towards me. I could still hear Paul ranting at their pack's Beta, and if I could so could Jacob.

I tugged at Jacob's arm again and started walking towards the fire. It took a few seconds but he was soon walking by my side. He put his arm around my shoulders, but it was more "I'm with you, don't let me do something stupid" than it was "How you doin'?"

Once we were sitting down, we were safe. Most of Sam's pack was chatting to those playing football, sorting out teams and whatever. Jeremy was sitting with Leah, Seth, Brady and Collin talking quietly. Brady and Collin were keeping pretty much to themselves, surrounded by so many new and older people.

I was sitting on the sand with Jacob at my side. His power was slowly rolling back, which I took for a good thing. Jared had stayed to talk with Sam for a few minutes with Miriam guarding his flank before they both came back to the fire.

Jared sat on a log nearly opposite us, Miriam sat herself on the sand next to him. Jared looked at me with so much pride it embarrassed me.

'Jacob,' he called, 'you with us yet?'

I felt a rumble building in the chest I was lying on, but to my surprise words came out instead of just a growl.

'Yeah.' Jacob didn't sound pleased about it.

'You know your mate just saved us some bloodshed.' Jared said.

Jacob looked up at Jared with a worryingly calculating look.

'Of course.' There was almost a threat in the way he said it. Miriam suddenly looked wary. The argument in the Uley pack was starting to simmer down, but the nerves were still there.

Jared threw his head back and laughed.

'No!' He laughed, 'I didn't expect any less.' He chuckled. 'Everyone in my pack has incredible talents, your mate is no exception.' I was still holding the remains of Jacob's power wave in check, but some of it clearly charged my eyes for Jared to hold his hands up in surrender. People were staring to use this "mate" word with too much ease.

'A diplomat and warrior;' Jared stood and waved Miriam to follow. Slowly they walked over to us, Jacob pulled me to my feet as he rose and stood between me and the others of my pack.

Yep. He was mental and possessive.

As far as wolf politics goes, this was ridiculous. A pack mate defended by an outsider against another two pack mates?

'Jacob Black,' Jared intoned, 'you are welcome to join my pack.'

The fact that Miriam hadn't fallen over in shock meant that she already knew about this.

'There is no intention or expectation, just know that you are welcome and the offer is open.' Jared didn't go to shake Jacob's hand, if he had, that would have meant he required an answer then and there.

'You are welcome.' Miriam muttered from behind Jared. The words were quiet, but her eyes fierce.

'I, uh,' Jacob stumbled for words before collecting himself. 'Thanks. I appreciate the offer and I'll certainly think about it.'

Jared smiled in approval before he and Miriam walked off towards Sam.

'Well,' I said, 'guess I'd better go meet some people.'

Jacob turned to look down on me. There were a few seconds before he did anything that I had a chance to take the moment in. The bonfire was dancing across his skin, russet browns to subtle blacks made him so mysterious, but safe. A whole foot taller than me his chest was like a wall, carved with definite lines that spoke of discipline and strength. Hands that rested on my shoulders led to arms rippling with gentle strength that spoke of protection and security.

'I said I'd give you time,' he whispered, 'but today has felt like forever.'

I nearly laughed. A simple sentence that expressed the complicated feelings that I'd felt since I was whisked away from the beach when Jacob had first imprinted.

I put my hands on his forearms and smiled into his huge brown eyes.

'I guess I had better go meet your pack.' I said. I didn't want to be anywhere but here. Jacob's eyes met mine and it took me a second to remember why I had to before I let go of him.

Jacob's shoulders tensed as if he was about to leap. I did my best to give him a toothy grin.

'I need to go and make nice.' I said, I held my hand open with my fingers to my mouth and kissed my fingers. With such a cute, surprised expression I swatted his nose with the fingers I had just kissed and then bound over to Jeremy and the few that were with him.

Jacob just stood in the spot where I'd left him with this stupid grin slowly growing over his face.

I knelt down in between Leah and Jeremy and nearly laughed at the instance silence that fell over the small group. Jeremy smiled at me before dipping his head back to the cooking food. Seth was obviously oblivious to nearly everything that was happening, giving me a hearty wave.

'Hey!'

'How're you doing Seth?' I asked. Brady and Collin were a few feet away from him staring at the sand in front of them, unsure what to do.

'Good. Sam won't let us patrol,' he nodded to the two boys behind him, 'until we know what's going on. So I'm mainly bored.'

I laughed. Seth was such a nice person to talk to; sadly I had a lot of people I need to speak to and a few to win over.

'Well, I'm sure Jeremy can keep you entertained, he's quite the story teller.' Jeremy's head snapped up to glare at me.

'I'm not.' He said, deadpan.

'Nonsense.' I said, 'All those times you've listened to me babble about ancient legends and you can't rock out a decent story?'

'Uh,' Jeremy looked a little lost, but to my surprise, Leah came to his rescue.

'How about you tell us one of those ancient legends, and we'll decide how good a story teller you are?' She said softly. I gave Jeremy a reassuring nod and smile.

'I can do that.' He didn't sound certain of himself in the slightest. I managed to catch his eye as he was thinking, then straightened my back and shoulders. Jeremy did the same and then looked around at his audience.

'I have a tale, an old one,' I grinned as Jeremy leaned into the group and started his story exactly the way I started all of mine. Brady and Collin had started to shuffle forward, but stopped when I made eye contact. I flashed a reassuring smile and gestured for them to come forward. The light of the bonfire skirted the edge of where we were sitting, but that did nothing but add atmosphere to Jeremy's story. I skulked to the back of the group, but not so quietly as to fool Leah. She watched me go with a quiet smirk and nodded as I fell into the shadows. Brady, Collin and Seth were wrapped up in the story that I'd told Jeremy so long ago, and Leah watched over them with approval.

With unwinding tales of Gilgamesh and Enkidu behind me, I slowly made my way to the largest group. Leaping and diving at impossible speeds and heights, I dragged some power into my weary limbs to try and make sense of what was happening.

I felt the power reach my eyes and knew they were not the glowing green they normally were. Hey, it had been a long day.

As it turns out, the game had kept its friendly nature and the rules were lacks. However, the game's players were diving around at incredible speeds. I would have loved to join in, but there was so much enthusiasm and energy pulsing through the lives before me. I could nearly hear Jeremy's admonishing tone about being "powered down", as he called it, and playing with the pack. Sam's Beta, Jared, was standing on the side watching the game.

I stood beside him with a gentle glow in my eyes so I could keep pace. 'Who's winning?' I asked.

He huffed and shrugged his shoulders. 'I'm not even sure what the rules are.'

I laughed in response. 'I was beginning to worry that it was just me that didn't know what was going on!'

He laughed out loud. The laughter slowly finished and he slowly turned to face me. The laughter fell from his face, but there was still a small light in his eyes. I could almost see the internal battle he had going before he raised an arm to point away from the "game" we were watching.

'Sit with me?' He asked hesitantly. I understood the hesitancy, as I had made a similar mistake many years ago.

After my battle with Chris, but my acceptance into the pack, I had asked Ian to go walking with me. He had done so without question and I had thought nothing of it until we had made it back home. Jared was angry, or should I say, Angry.

Our Beta, Chris, had charged Ian with guarding their flank and the house whilst they were patrolling Oregon as well as Idaho. My rank in the pack was unclear, as far as they knew I could hold my own against their Beta, but their Alpha had accepted me. Simply asking to go for a walk was received as an order from a "we're not sure yet something Beta-Alpha" who outranked him. Ian didn't want to question me in front of everyone so got himself in trouble, and punished, all because I'd said something stupid.

I was a little wiser this time.

I gestured to a spot between the bonfire and the ball game that was going on, it was in the middle of everything, but somewhere nothing was happening. There was no safe ground here, it was their territory, but it was also ours. His Alpha was dominant in this territory, but had granted leave to another Alpha who could rival his authority whilst in his land. In all this, Sam was right: an unknown was a problem.

I was the unknown. I was complicating everything. I could bow my head and let their Beta take the lead, but I knew full well that that would be communicated to the rest of his pack and it would be unclear how far up the pack I would be or already was.

From there, problems lay ahead. A normal werewolf would be challenged; but I wasn't a werewolf. My pack would leap to my defence, often prematurely. The other pack, not used to an "unknown" would challenge in kind and from there was only blood.

Their Beta sat down slowly; I made sure I lowered myself at the same speed. We were equals here, no challenges, no fighting. Well, I hoped.

We sat there in a few seconds of awkward silence before he gathered himself.

'I'm Jared.' He offered me his hand.

'It's a pleasure.' I said, 'This hasn't been simple for my pack. I'm sure it's been similar for yours.'

He dropped his head and sighed, 'From what I hear, it's more complicated for your pack than ours.'

I didn't know what he meant and could only respond with a puzzled look.

'Your pack is bound.' He said, 'Live together, think together. We are different.'

'Jacob explained that you don't live together.' I said.

'It's more than that.' He replied. 'You pack is different to ours, we need to be careful.'

'I understand.' I replied. I did my best to keep my head up and sound proud, but somewhere my words failed me.

'Do you?' It was a quiet, simple question, but the doubt was there.

'Do I understand that two packs in one space is difficult?' Their Beta nodded at the question.

'Yes, I understand.' I answered, 'However, I provide a complication as I don't fit into normal pack "hierarchy" or whatever it is that you call it.' I waited for a sign of recognition, a gasp of realisation, but he only sat there and looked at me.

'You're wondering what threat I would be to your pack,' Jared started to move uncomfortably, but I ploughed on, 'I would too.

'A pack member who could well be your Alpha has imprinted on someone from another pack, which would be hard enough.' I said, 'Sadly, it's not that simple, they're not a wolf and have no obvious place. So what do I do now?'

Jacob's Beta looked at me with a sad understanding and nodded his head as I spoke.

'So what do I do?' He asked, almost an echo.

'I haven't given reason for a fight or challenge.' I said, 'Do you need to do anything?'

'No,' He replied, 'but it doesn't work like that.'

I sighed. This was a Beta of the Old School. He needed to know that everyone had a place. There was a strict ladder to which everyone and every pack adhered. I didn't fit.

To be honest, our pack didn't fit. We didn't work like that: if Ian came back from a scouting mission and said "Hell no" even Jared wouldn't question him. If Miriam said an infant girl carried herself like a trained kung-fu artist, then she was treated like a trained kung-fu artist.

'If you don't make a case of it, consider me a second Beta.' I said. I was taking strong liberties here. Ian, Charlie and Miriam were all capable of being a Beta and could fight me for it. Here and now, I was keeping the peace; I'd deal with them later.

Their Beta, Jared, hadn't noticed my internal dialogue and seemed to have reached a decision. He leapt to his feet and held his hand out as he looked down at me. I remembered Jeremy explaining that helping someone up could be seen as a sign of weakness if it was between packs. I rolled my eyes and jumped to my feet, I let the Puppy push some power into it so I was a little bit more graceful than I normally would have been.

I made a show of shaking his hand.

'It has been a pleasure.' I said. I hoped being seen shaking hands with the Beta would make things with the rest of Jacob's pack easier. He gave me what I felt was a genuine smile as he walked away to see what the small crowd around Jeremy's feet was about.

Most of the other pack members were playing in the football game that was going on. With a power throbbing behind my eyes I could keep pace, but I was paying little attention to who was winning.

'So you're what all this fuss is about.' He said. I wasn't paying enough attention to notice his approach, but the throbbing nuisance of power flared in surprise.

'We'd be half way into the forest and a dozen vampires dead if it wasn't for you.' I knew it was Paul, but his voice was so quiet I could barely catch it. I was so close to so many, in the middle of so many werewolves, but Paul had chosen his moment well. Nobody could hear what he said: there was the crackle of the fire, Jeremy's tale, the noise of the football game.

I was sitting calmly in the cradle of it all. I stayed with my back facing him for a few seconds, letting him wonder what I was going to do next. I was taking pleasure in what I had made myself out to be: an unknown.

I turned slowly to face him, the bonfire's light dancing on our skin. I could feel Jared and Sam pacing the lines of our packs.

'I'm not here to be enemies.' I said, 'They are hiding in the shadows, afraid to face us.'

Paul shook his head and took a step towards me. 'First vampires, and now Freaks.' He whispered, 'We'll clean La Push of you all.'

'Then take your time.' Sadly, this wasn't the first time I'd encountered such hostility. 'The Freak will be here after we've taken care of the vampires and I'll prove my worth in the mean time.' He said.

Paul's eyes started to hum with a worrying, wolfish, orange glow.

'Ease yourself,' I said, 'we have a lot of fighting to go, save it for the vampires.' The orange from Paul's eyes died away, and the thudding beat of my heart faded into the crackling of the bonfire.

The events with Paul had worried me. I nodded my head goodbye and turned to start making my way back to Jared before I heard his declaration from over my shoulder. The crackling of the bonfire drowned away the words that fell through the air.

'I'll tell you when you can turn your back on me.' Instantly, Paul was so close it was invasive. He had grabbed my arm and spun me around, his breath on my face. He had grabbed my forearm with so much force it took me a second to recognise that the feeling in my arm was the bones pressing together. Feeling your own bones being ground together was not an experience I'd like to repeat, and the unpleasant gasp travelled on the beach wind. I saw Miriam come at me from one side and somehow sensed Charlie coming from behind. Paul's other hand clamped onto my shoulder keeping me from moving. His fingers dug in around my collar bone which groaned under the pressure. There was little but rage in Paul's eyes that bore into mine.

There was the sickening crack of bone, but the shooting pain I was waiting for never came.

Jacob was suddenly at our side, his hand clamped around Paul's wrist. Paul's forearm was snapped half way and Paul was staring at it with shock and surprise.

There was a movement of six foot and seven and a half inches of muscle and rage that spun and landed a solid kick to Paul's chest. Ribs crunched.

Paul was lying at least ten feet away from us, cradling his arm on the sandy beach of La Push. I swear that I did nothing more than blink before I saw Jacob on his knees, one on the sand, the other in the middle of Paul's chest. Paul tried to push at Jacob with his uninjured arm; Jacob just grabbed it with one hand and slammed the other into his shoulder, dislocating it. He grabbed Paul's head, a hand on either side and yanked it up, less than an inch between their faces.

The muscles in Jacob's back and legs tensed as he ground his knee into Paul's chest and piled pressure onto either side of Paul's head.

'You touch my mate again,' Jacob growled, 'I will break you.' His knee pressed down on Paul's ribs to emphasis the point. Paul cried out, but he couldn't move or even attempt to shift Jacob's weight.

'I will break you, then I'll kill you.' Jacob piled more pressure onto Paul's head. 'Do you, understand me?'

Paul squirmed under the pressure before crying out a 'Yes!' with the air left in his lungs. Jacob was off him in a flash, hooked his arm under Paul's waist and hurled his body through the air. He hit the sand about ten feet from where he was thrown, landing at Sam's feet as he was running over to us.

'Keep him the fuck away from me!' Jacob was all rage and power. He strode across the beach towards me still exuding menace and danger. The primitive "fight or flight" impulse wasn't so much tingling as ringing large "get the hell out of there" bells, but Jacob's eyes had locked onto mine and I couldn't have moved even if I wanted to.

He slowed down when he was a pace or two in front of me. His hand was gentle, resting on the back of my head. He rested his forehead on mine and took a deep breath in, closing his eyes for calm. His other arm wrapped around the bottom of my back with his hand resting on my waste. I put my arms under his and rested my hands on the back of his broad shoulders.

After a few seconds he pulled away and took the arm Paul had grabbed in his hands. From the looks of it, I had what was going to be another beautiful purple and yellow bruise. My arms were going to be a mess. Jacob ran his massive hand so gently over the soon-to-be-bruise it kind of tickled.

I put my hand on the back of his head and rubbed circles through his spiky hair.

'You with me?' I whispered. He didn't look up, but shook his head slightly. I couldn't help but think that if someone had attacked Miriam, Jack wouldn't have stopped until they were in pieces. We'd gotten off light here.

I waved off some of the other pack members, mine and Sam's. I had a feeling that if anyone got too close at the minute bad things would ensue.

In the background I saw a couple of Sam's pack get Paul up and take him away. After his shoulder was put back in his injuries would heal pretty quickly. It was the threat that would stay; Jacob had meant it and both our packs had heard it.

Jacob breathed out slowly and put my arm around his waist. He pulled me in close to his chest and kissed my forehead. Resting his chin on my head I could hear his heart still pounding through his chest.

'I should have killed him.' He muttered. He leaned back a little so he was looking at me. 'I can still kill him.'

I smiled at him but shook my head. 'No killing.' I tapped him on the nose in a mock admonishment. I had a moment of disbelief: here I was wrapped up in the massive arms of a six and a half foot tower of strength, and I'd just bopped him on the nose like you would a dog with a newspaper.

Jacob twitched his nose and then smiled at me. 'I think we're done here.'

I nodded. Getting Jacob out of here seemed like a good thing, and I was so, so tired.

'Let's say some goodbyes.' I said. I nudged him over to speak to Sam while I wandered over to Jared.

'Are you okay?' Jeremy was at my side with his arms out as if I was about to fall.

'I'm good Jeremy, just really tired.' I said. I smiled at him to make sure he knew I was okay and gave his shoulder a squeeze. He was a good kid. We made it up to Jared who had a frighteningly neutral face.

'That could have gone a lot worse.' He said.

'Yes,' I replied, 'I guess it could have.'

'If we'd have made it to you first, it would have been us and them. As it is, one of their own took him down, and non-to-gently.'

'Good.' Jeremy said, nodding at Jared.

'Wish it would have been me.' Jared agreed.

'I'm sorry it spoiled your barbecue.' I said, genuinely sorry. We were all getting along so well.

Jared smiled at me and nodded over my shoulder. I turned to see Charlie picking up the football and gesturing at Embry. The game wasn't over yet and people were slowly making their way back to it. Leah had Seth, Brady and Collin around her where Jeremy had been telling them a story and I nodded at Jeremy for him to go back and finish.

Jared had a relieved light in his eyes.

'Then I'd better leave you to it.' I said with a tired smile. 'I'm going to get Jacob out of here before I fall asleep whilst I'm stood up.'

Jared gave me a gentle hug and ruffled my hair. Ruffling hair? Another wolf thing? I swear that if anybody picked me up and span me around there would be some serious ass-whupping.

Everyone else was doing their best to get on with the remaining Quileutes, so I asked Jared to give my best to everyone as I headed back to Jacob.

He dropped his arm around my shoulders and steered us along the paths that led away from the beach. It took me a few minutes to realise that we weren't on the path back to the Pack House.

'Jacob?'

'To my house.' He said. 'No packs, no politics, just you, me and peace and quiet.'

'Jared will-' I started.

'He knows.' He looked at me and even through the gloom I saw his smile.

We walked the rest of the way in silence. I loved listening to the sounds of the forest at night: owls, crickets and the wind. My mother had once chided me for being such a romantic when I compared it to a symphony.

Now I realised that music was too constructed to be compared with the sounds of nature. Math could tell you what intervals worked well, the beats of a bar were measured and structured. The sounds of the forest were chaotic, but blended so seamlessly that nobody ever seemed to notice that they were all single events: no math, planning or composing, just beautiful chaos gliding on the twilight.

Before I realised where we were, Jacob was opening the back door of his house. He raised a single finger to his lips that told me his father and sister were both home and asleep.

Guiding me through the shadows of his house, he stopped to leave a small note on the counter in the kitchen. It said, "Got company. Long story."

After that, we moved down a hallway and through a door. It clicked behind us and Jacob flicked the light on.

It was pretty much what I had expected from the brief glimpse I'd seen earlier today. Posters of bands I didn't recognise filled the walls. A messy desk with a computer sat against one wall opposite a single bed that rested underneath a singular window. The floor was decorated with discarded clothes and random sheets of paper.

'Sorry about the mess.' He mumbled. I shook my head to say it didn't matter, but all that came out was another yawn.

He stood behind me, his chest flat against my back and his hands on my shoulders. 'I can sleep in the living room.'

'I don't want to kick you out of your own bed.' I said, 'Just promise to behave yourself.' His hands slide down my arms and I swear it was like they trailed fire as they went.

He turned me around to face him. He placed his hand gently on the side of my face and slowly rubbed my cheek with his thumb.

'Don't you trust me?' he asked. I was about to joke, but I wasn't sure whether the look in his eyes was anxious or cocky.

I put my hand over his and leant into it before I pulled it down. 'Give me a minute to get ready?' He nodded and slipped out the door, grabbing something from the floor as he went.

I quickly stripped to my underwear and slid into Jacob's bed. It was warm and the smell of bonfire and spice wrapped around me. I snuggled into the duvet and was so comfortable I nearly didn't notice the door opening again. Jacob had changed out of the jogging bottoms that he'd been wearing into a pair of CK briefs. The hem rested just below his hips and the grey material hugged the top of his legs.

The lights were flicked off and seconds later I felt his weight press on the mattress. There was a glint of light in the near darkness from Jacob's eyes. His hand brushed across my shoulder where Paul had grabbed me. There was nearly no light in Jacob's room but even "powered down" I could see the hand print that was marked into my shoulder. Jacob's body had tensed and a growl rumbled through his chest as he gently ran his hand over the mark.

Without saying anything, I moved his hand away from my shoulder and rested it on my cheek.

'Hush now.' I whispered with a small smile. 'I'm here.'

Jacob's bed was single-sized and pressed up against the wall, so Jacob curled up next to me. He pulled my back up against his chest and folded his arms around me and one of his legs hooked over mine. One immense hand was rested on my bruised shoulder, while the other held my still aching forearm. I was surrounded by wood smoke and had never been more comfortable or felt safer. His body heat sunk through my tired body and his heartbeat called me to sleep. I snuggled into his arms that were wrapped around me.

Just before I fell asleep, I could have sworn I felt his arms tighten a little and heard him breathe a word, so quietly.

'Mine.'


	5. The day after forever

Thanks so much to everyone who has reviewed. It's nice to know people are enjoying as much as I am writing.

lightbabe - glad you're enjoying it! Although Jacob won't be doing all the saving :)

Troy123 - Paul's defensive of his pack and his pack mates, he's just a little emotionally, um, behind. This is set inbetween books two and three - Jacob hasn't left Sam's pack yet so whilst he could be an Alpha, isn't one yet, or rather, has decided not to be.

Tarathriel - Thanks for the praise, hopefully I shall keep you addicted.

Guests - To all those guests, thanks for reading and hope you continue to enjoy.

The first thing I felt was the sunlight through my eyelids, then the chirping of birdsong. Arms were wrapped around me and I was still cocooned in warmth. The smell of spice and smouldering flame reminded me whose body I was lying against.

That was the first night I had spent away from my pack since my infamous battle with Chris so many years ago. I felt a little guilty that I didn't miss them as much as I thought I should.

The events of last night ran through my mind: the barbecue, Paul's challenge, Jacob's response. All in all, Jacob's intervention might have helped our packs work together. We'd see, as Jared had made it clear that today was the day that we met the Cullens.

The Earth was made up of so many different kinds of life, different spirits each with their own feel or light. Vampires were sickening holes of absence. There was no feel to them, just an abominable hole in the tapestry of nature, and today I had to talk to a whole family of them.

The thought made my stomach turn. How I was going to manage a conversation whilst keeping what I knew would be the outraged yipping of power at the back of my mind quiet I didn't know.

The arms around me tightened, the leg over mine stretched out before returning to its position and the huge body behind me shuffled as it awoke and nuzzled its nose into my hair.

'Morning.' To be fair, it was more a groan than a declaration of speech, but Jacob had never struck me as a morning person.

I wriggled in his arms and eventually managed to turn around. I pulled myself close to his chest and my face was resting at the base of his neck; the smell of spice had never been stronger. I knew that smell, what was it?

A huge smile landed on my face as I realised and I nuzzled closer into him.

Jacob chuckled and offered an enquiring "hmm?"

I grinned, the spice I'd smelt was cinnamon. 'You smell like Christmas.' I chuckled.

Jacob's chest started to gently rumble with laughter, and he rolled over so that he was on top of me, looking down into my eyes with a gentle smile. He lent down and nudged my nose with his.

'I could stay here all day.' He mumbled.

'No, you would like to stay here, but we can't.' I said. His expression changed to that of a kicked puppy.

'We have places to be,' I said, 'and people to see.' Jacob shuffled his arms to my side and groaned. With a roll of his eyes he collapsed on my chest with a theatrical sigh: the arms resting at my side holding most of his weight.

'Are you-' I stopped myself from asking the rest of the question. Asking him about Bella now would spoil everything.

'Am I what?' Jacob's head had perked up from my chest and was looking at me suspiciously. Even if I tried my hardest, I couldn't lie to those brown eyes, although he deserved a more tactful approach.

'I'm meeting the Cullens today.' I said, obviously nervous as my hand found his. 'You're coming?' I did my best to make it a question, I didn't want to take advantage of his imprinting to make him feel like he had to come.

His weight shifted on the bed as he pulled himself up to be eye level.

'I wouldn't be anywhere else.' He gave me a reassuring smile and squeezed my hand. He pulled himself back onto his knees and pulled me up to meet him. He just stared at me for a few seconds before hopping off the bed and offering his hand to help me off.

Needless to say, I got out of bed under my own power but acquiesced to Jacob opening the door for me. In the middle of the hallway was a very familiar canvas bag with a small note attached. Picking off the note, I recognised Jeremy's handwriting: "Good Morning" was all it said. Inside the bag was a collection of my bathroom favourites, along with a bottle I'd never seen before. Pulling the cork stopper from the bottle Jacob pulled away holding his nose.

'What is that!?' he was nearly gagging and I was chuckling whilst doing my best not to make it a full on guffaw at Jacob's expense.

'What?' He continued, I'm sure Jacob had tears building up.

Jeremy had packed me a bag with everything he thought I'd need. Besides some bathroom scents, there were a few herbal remedies for antiseptics, pain relief, but my favourite was the unlabelled bottle. I held it up to Jacob and laughed.

'It's Wolfsbane.' I laughed. Jeremy had packed me the werewolf equivalent of a pepper spray, it must have taken him weeks to collect. Jacob growled whilst I put the unlabelled bottle away and carried my supplies to the bathroom. I stopped outside the door to face Jacob.

'Yes?' I asked.

'Oh,' he mumbled, 'I'll uh, be in the, uh,'

'Living room?' I asked.

'Yes! That's where I'll be, in the, uh, living room, yes,' he stumbled, 'not in there.' He pointed at the bathroom I was about to walk into. I nodded at him for a few seconds before he got the hint and walked away.

I shut the door to the bathroom and set the shower to run hot. After pouring a few choices oils onto a scrub I took my time in the shower. My mother never understood, but this was where a simple bath oil could slam a Spell in the face. Jeremy had packed my favourites without realising what they meant.

Agrimony and Anise for protection, Honeysuckle for luck, he'd even included a sachet of Ginseng.

Ginseng.

The next time I saw Jeremy, I would thank him for my favourites, then do something unpleasant with the Ginseng.

I pondered pouring all of the Ginseng onto my body-scrub for a few seconds before chucking the bottle back in the canvas bag.

The steam of the shower cleansed my senses as the oils on the scrub cleaned my body. I took a moment to examine my arms and shoulder. There were slight yellow bruises over each bicep from where Ryan had grabbed me on the beach a few days ago. Those ones seemed to be healing nicely. My left shoulder spots of bruises from Paul's hand, a larger bruise was on the front of my shoulder from his thumb. Finally, the bruise on my right forearm was turning an awful purple and black. I had some things at the pack house that would help with it, but for now, long sleeved tops it is.

I stepped out of the shower feeling revitalised and new. I might just forgive Jeremy enough to thank him.

I had wrapped myself up in a towel ready for the inevitable embarrassing encounter with Jacob's father or sister as I stepped out of the bathroom when I saw some clothes pilled in the middle of the hallway. My clothes.

Grabbing them and closing the door, I was able to leave the bathroom in a fully clothed fashion. As I made my way back to Jacob's bedroom I was distracted by a very familiar and enticing smell. After a moment of indecision, strengthened by Jacob's now empty room I made my way to the kitchen. Jacob was stood in his CK boxers and a faded Black Sabbath t-shirt, whilst flipping things in a pan.

'Dad went on a fishing trip with Bella's dad,' he said without taking his eyes off the pan, 'and Rachel went to see Paul.' His mood seemed to drop at the mention of Paul from last night, but his concentration on the frying pan seemed steady.

There was a small breakfast-bar in-between us with a stack of blueberry pancakes resting on it.

'I love pancakes.' I said as I sat down at the breakfast-bar, 'and you just happened to know my favourite?'

'I may have had some help on that?' Jacob grinned at me. He tossed the final pancake so it landed perfectly on top of the stack in front of me.

'I'm so going to need help with these.' I laughed. Jacob span a fork through his hands and wiggled his eyebrows at me.

'Knight in shining armour ready to aid.' He laughed before diving into the pancakes.

After many pancakes and litres of maple syrup Jacob and I were ready to leave his house. Jacob took my hand before we went to leave, but I tugged backwards. He looked back at me with a worried expression before he stood close to me by the kitchen's breakfast-bar.

'You and Paul?' I asked.

'Nothing you need to worry about.' There wasn't even room for pause.

'But Paul and your sister-' Jacob raised his hand to stop me.

'That's them.' He said, his hand rested on my cheek, 'we're not even officially "we" yet. I will fight for my mate, and he will fight for his.' Jacob's eyes flashed a wolfish gold before he carried on, 'If he knows what's best, he'll ignore my mate and focus on his. He touches you again and I'll kill him.'

I smiled at him and pulled his hand away from my face.

'We should meet Jared before we meet the Cullens.' I said. Jacob nodded and led me through the house. I knew from the sun that it was late morning; the note Jacob had left on the side was gone and there was dirty washing in the sink that wasn't there the night before.

Suddenly, I was more nervous about meeting Jacob's father and sister than I was about the Cullens.

Out the back door and a few strides across the beach, we were meandering our way towards the Pack House. It was such a comfortable silence that it seemed to blend in with the noise from the forest.

There was a crack from the trees above us. Jacob didn't flinch, but I knew the sounds of the Earth enough to know that it wasn't a natural noise.

Ryan was dancing the branches above us. Ian was undoubtedly somewhere, probably only a few feet from where I stood. I gave the unmarked shrubbery a grin in an attempt to show all that I was safe and happy as we made our way towards the Pack House.

It was a testament to their pack that we arrived without Jacob noticing his observers. The fact that nobody was obviously guarding the porch was a sign that they knew we were coming.

"They" knew what was coming? When did my pack become "they"?

As we walked up the steps, Jared walked out the Pack House front door flanked by Miriam and Charlie.

'Chris will meet us there.' Jacob said. He spoke with his normal diplomacy, but the hardness in the air rivalled that of a father talking to his child's Prom Date. Jacob had the sense to not make eye contact with Jared.

There was a blur of movement I couldn't follow before three massive wolves leapt into the tree line. Jacob gave me an almost apologetic grin before ripping from his clothes into his nearly eight-foot at the shoulder wolf form and disappearing through the trees.

And I was alone.

For a second all I understood was the silence of the forest and the expectation of its sprits. I could feel my companions barrelling their way through the trees and animals of the forest, a destination that was their focus, a place to be that was their motive.

I felt Jacob's purpose run through me, but our methods were not the same. A shimmer of Jacob's memory fluttered before me, a house in the embrace of autumn. With that house in my mind and a gentle push, I was nothing.

I felt the wolves running through me, the leaves as they passed and rushed through my air. I was the grass they trampled, the air they breathed. Four fierce, gargantuan wolves burst into a clearing before a modern house: pale wooden beams supported panels of crystal glass.

Then I was nothing but one person. I wasn't a billion leaves feeling the breeze, I was but ten fingers. Apparently it took only a few seconds to acclimatise; coming to in a conversation of introductions.

We were stood at the bottom of a few wooden stairs leading to a grand house made of glass and wood. It was more amenable than the foreboding crypt or dilapidated house I was expecting.

At the top of the stairs was a tall man with blonde hair. His eyes were an ocean's blue and he had a face of serenity. His gentle smile urged you to trust him: there was obviously no danger here. He was relaxed and presented no threat, a welcoming host, even.

The power in my mind pulsed a warning and instantly, he was nothing but a vampire with nice eyes.

'Welcome,' he said, he sensed my unease. 'I'm glad you could come.' From him I only felt a genuine need for peace. The fact that it was genuine made it that more difficult to accept.

'Thank you.' Jacob said, 'This is Jared, the Alpha of the Oregon pack.' Chris had obviously brought clothes with him as my pack and Jacob were neatly dressed in jeans and t-shirts, although they were padding around barefoot. Jared walked forward and started to lead me up the steps of their home. I wasn't sure if he'd noticed how uncomfortable I was, but I did my best to keep step. At the top of the steps the statuesque vampire took Jared's hand, I did my best not to retch at the emptiness that I felt pressing on my mind like an invader.

Gracefully accepted, Jared introduced the vampire to Chris, then Miriam, Charlie and myself. After introductions were over I felt the vampire as nothing but the gaping hole I was expecting. Thankfully I stopped myself from gagging.

The graceful vampire, introduced as Carlisle and the head of the household, led us into a large room. Expensive glass walls peered out into the wilderness whilst a subtly-glamorous woman walked up to meet us. She was the paragon of elegance, subtly and modesty. A plain black dress seemed to make her the most important person I'd ever met. This was a woman worth knowing. Again, the Puppy yipped a warning and she was but a woman in a nice dress.

'This is my wife, Esme,' He said. The room itself I found beautiful. The walls were glass and thus had no obvious borders but the trees beyond them and the song of bird and cricket was unusually clear in the stark and empty household.

Then a growing blackness descended. I felt the puppy at the back of my mind stand tall and his power forward. The Old Dog was watching quietly, but Jacob's worry was communicated by the steady hand that pulled my body back to connect with a solid chest.

'I'm right here.' He whispered into my ear.

Jacob knew the rest of the family were coming.

A beautiful, curly blonde haired woman descended the stairs. Even without the benefits of vampirism, she was quite stunning. Everything about her seemed soft and she moved down the stairs with the grace of a ballet dancer. Her eyes though, her eyes pierced. She flashed her gaze over the pack and I was somewhat surprised her glare didn't drill into my skull. It was then I understood between "graceful: ballet dancer" and "graceful: huntress".

The man who flanked her was broad shouldered and dark haired. Unlike his companion, he walked with sturdy, solid steps. Here was a bastion of strength, even amongst his family he would be the strongest. He too looked the pack over, but there was more curiosity in his eyes than rage or disgust. I looked around the pack to see their reaction so far and smiled at Miriam's calculating look. Miriam was shifting her eyes over the new arrivals and I could almost see her thinking:

"Blonde one could be a problem. Surprise her and take her out first. The guy's strong, avoid close quarters, take him out at the knees then finish him from behind."

Taking place beside Esme, next was a pixie-like woman who danced down the stairs. Short brown hair that framed her face, she had the gentle pointed features of the fabled fairies. I put some effort into reading her and she generally appeared as she looked: kind and good hearted. She was also quiet anxious, but I wrote that off to having a load of werewolves in her house. She quickly came down the stairs and gave Jacob a quick wave before coming to a stop next to Carlisle. She gave him arm a quick hug and then held her hand out for her partner.

Her partner was a curly, blonde haired youth who seemed to command an audience he didn't know was there. He looked us all over with an unfocused gaze, not as if he wasn't interested, but as if he wasn't quite sure. When his eyes made it back to the girl next to him, his eyes came into focus and the slight, almost not there smile told epics about his love for her.

Finally, a breath-takingly handsome brown haired young man claimed the scene. Paused halfway down the stairs, I had a moment to examine his features. He was looking up to the top of the stairs, clearly waiting for someone. The angles of his face were almost chiselled like something Michelangelo would claim was a masterpiece. Brown hair was textured and chopped, but clearly sat on his head with little effort. He waited with unease for a figure that was tentatively making its way down the stairs. Someone was coming, and the young man flashed a smile that was heart-breaking. I don't know what I did, but Jacob must have picked up on it. His arms crossed over my front, resting on my hips and held me to his chest. The over-protectiveness was funny, although now was not the time or place. A stirring moved in the back of my head, if I had to explain it, I'd say the Old Dog had just given the Puppy a nudge. A brief bolt of power tingled through my head, uncalled for. The astoundingly beautiful creatures in front of me lost some of their grace, perfect angled features and alluring auras. They were killers, and we were in their home.

The last and newest figure of the Cullen family made her way down the stairs. So awkward and dainty compared to the commanding presences of those before her. Every step she took was nervous and careful. When her hand made it into the young man's, her confidence grew like the smile on her face. She had pale skin that made her fit in perfectly with the Cullens. The only main difference were the eyes, it was always the eyes.

Dark brown, like chocolate, looked us all over with curiosity, innocence and fear. Once she was settled behind the brown haired man who'd come down with her, the difference was so incredible. A set of dark eyes amidst the creepy glowing glares of amber from the rest of the family.

Less than forty –eight hours ago this woman had the affection of Jacob Black, and I would have ripped her open because of it. I realised that I was frowning, possibly glaring, so made an effort to relax my face and concentrate on something else, like the mind numbing void of undeath whirling around before me. Try not to be sick, concentrate on that.

The Cullen family had organised themselves in a fashionable yet defensible position as they faced the members of our pack.

The head of the Cullen pack stepped forward from his line of vampires and started to speak:

'This is my family.' Carlisle started, 'Rosalie and Emmet,' he gestured with a hand. The curly blonde haired woman glared at us like we were invaders, I could understand how she felt.

'Alice and Jasper.' Alice gave us a gentle nod, but no smile touched her eyes. Jasper just looked on as if nothing was happening.

'Edward' he gestured, 'and finally the newest member of our family, Bella Swan.' Carlisle finished. Edward nodded at us, trying not to grimace. I wondered what werewolves smelt like to vampires? Did they have the variety of scents I got from them, or did they feel something similar to the black void that they felt like to me?

Bella raised a hand in a small attempt at a wave. 'Hi.'

'Thank you for letting us see your home.' Jared said, 'this is my second, Chris.' Chris gave them a dutiful nod.

'Miriam and Charlie,' Miriam gave them a grimace which I think was supposed to be a smile, Charlie replicated Bella's attempted wave.

'You already know Jacob, and this is Alex.' I nodded at the family of vampires. Damn it they were all so beautiful it was distracting. Then I felt Jacob rest his hands on my waist and my thoughts settled, we had a goal here.

I couldn't shake this nudging feeling from the back of my mind. Such a strange feeling I'd never had before, like I was remembering that someone else had forgotten something.

'Jacob?' Edward asked. There seemed to be a conversation I d not realised was happening between the two. The silence carried on for a few seconds before Bella grew obviously as curious as I was.

'What's going on Jacob?' She asked. She looked so fragile stood between those pale Olympians. I probably didn't look all that different surrounded by my six foot something werewolves.

'He's imprinted.' Edward didn't take his eyes of Jacob.

Jacob rested his chin on my head and I felt the small smile he gave Bella.

Bella's face was a mask of emotion. I couldn't tell if she was upset, happy or relieved. She hugged Edward's arm and gave Jacob a smile.

'Good, I'm happy for you.' She said, making eye contact with me she smiled and nodded again. I looked up to make eye contact with Edward. If Jacob hadn't been wrapped around my waist I think I would have fallen into those eyes.

Then I felt the nudging again. Memories started to come to mind for no reason, completely unbidden. I didn't know what was happening, but I didn't like it. My first meeting with Jacob flashed in cinema-perfect clarity before it disappeared again. I tensed up in Jacob's arms, my face probably a mask of worry.

'You okay?' Jared asked. I looked at Jared to answer; clearly I wasn't doing too well at hiding my confusion. I couldn't shake this feeling and the different memories were making it difficult to concentrate.

Then I realised.

I flicked my eyes back to Edward who was still wearing the 'no emotion' mask that seemed to be popular in his family.

'You're readying our minds.' I said, monotone.

A person's mind was a sanctuary, a haven. To breach the walls was either a symbol of utter trust and a treasure to be guarded, or a debased invasion of the worst kind. To simply reach into another and pull at their memories was akin to rape and made me want to gag. This Leech had no right.

My power was alive and waiting, almost as if it had sensed my revulsion.

'It's Edward's gift,' Carlisle answered quickly, 'one he sadly can't turn off.'

Jacob's arms tensed around my middle, one of his thumbs had made it under my t-shirt and was rubbing circles just above the band of my jeans, trying his hardest to subtly calm me down. I turned my head into his arm and breathed in his scent to settle the disgust at having my past laid out for a stranger.

Nope, still really pissed.

An image of my Nan blazed through my mind. Bent slightly at the knees, ready for battle, her hands raised with power building through her.

I knew what happened next, and no other had the right to see it.

I made eye contact with Edward again, and impressed myself with how calm I sounded.

'Perhaps I can help.' Power flooded through me and I slammed it into the nudging presence that had found memories of my talents and was sifting through them. I didn't feel the least bit guilty as Edward winced and brought a hand to his head, shaking away the headache I knew he'd have.

I felt for the minds of my pack and Jacob and threw walls around them all. Nobody had the right to another's mind, and I'd be damned if this vampire just strolled through them at his leisure.

Charlie and Miriam looked confused while Chris rubbed at the side of his head.

'That should make things quieter for you.' My eyes were probably unnaturally green, holding up the mental walls. When we got home I'd work on something so that I didn't need to run my power to keep them up.

The Cullens had shifted into tense stances ready to charge. I didn't care. Attacking the minds of my pack was a perversion and I almost wanted one of them to come at me. I may be surrounded by steel and glass, but this house was in the middle of a forest and its spirits were only a call away. Edward was lucky that all he'd got from me was a gentle push.

Esme put her hand on Rosalie's shoulder to calm her down. 'Edward?' She called.

'I'm fine.' He said. He shook his head a little and then looked back up at me. 'I can't read any of them.'

'That's quiet the talent you have.' Carlisle said, intrigued. 'Bella has a similar gift; Edward is unable to see her thoughts either.'

'What are you?' Alice's voice wasn't accusatory or insulting, just a genuine curiosity.

'Alice.' Esme said in a reprimanding tone.

Alice looked embarrassed for a moment, then continued. 'Sorry, I'm not used to being surprised.'

'Alice has the gift of foresight.' Carlisle explained.

Wow. Now that was a talent alright. I'm sure there were caveats and addendums on how it worked, but even so. My mother had coveted the power of Sight, and my Nan only knew of tales of people who could call on the power at will. Nan had dreamt visions a few times, but at random and with no pattern. She'd once dreamt that she would drive over the neighbour's cat, another she dreamt of my mother's death.

'You can see the future?' Miriam asked with doubt. Alice nodded at her.

'And you aren't at the races because...' Charlie asked incredulously. Jared shook his head, it was barely perceptible, but Charlie caught the meaning: not a good time for jokes.

Alice laughed at the comment, her laugh sounded like gentle bells in the air. A rogue beam of light made it through the window and she and Jasper sparkled in the few seconds of sun. Simply stunning, so much so I'd forgotten the original question. It was a slight tense in Jacob's arms that brought me back down to Earth.

'Ah, right, what am I? I suppose that's a fair question.' Once again, I wished for an easier explanation. 'Simply put: don't know. I have a power that lets me do things: I can affect the world around me, keep up with werewolves, fight with vampires, other stuff.'

'Other stuff?' Alice asked, clearly intrigued.

'There are special words that I can use to do things like heal people. I'm good with minds too.' I said, landing Edward with a stare.

'So, you're a Witch?' Alice asked.

Everybody always went for the W word.

'I suppose that's an easy way to put it.' I sighed. Emmet had a cocky smile and went to say something before I cut him off. 'No, I don't ride a broom stick, I don't own a cauldron and it will be a cold day in hell before you see me in a black pointy hat.'

He looked crest fallen and sulked.

'What brings you to Washington?' Carlisle asked.

'Yeah, Victoria is dead.' Rosalie didn't want us here and her tone did nothing to try and hide it.

'New-borns are still travelling to Washington,' Jared said, 'they're coming up through Oregon where they attacked one of my pack, nearly killed him.'

'We haven't seen any here.' Jasper said. It was the first time he had spoken. His eyes seemed to be dazed, looking at something that wasn't there. Carlisle looked concerned.

'You're sure they're headed here?' he asked.

Jared nodded, but it was Chris that responded. 'We've been attacked in the Quileute lands. They're organised.'

'New-borns wouldn't organise without a leader.' Jasper said. He had seemed to focus a little more on the world around him and he was speaking with an authority. 'A strong leader.'

'Who on Earth could it be?' Esme asked, 'what could they want now Victoria is dead?'

'We'll find them and kill them.' Charlie growled out. I shook my head at his reply.

'Chasing them without any idea about what's going on will get us killed.' I said. Jared held up his hand to stop the conversation.

'That is a conversation for a different time.' He said. 'You have an understanding with the Quileutes?'

Carlisle nodded. 'The forest has a boundary running through it, one side is ours and the other belongs to the Quileutes.'

'Sam and his pack have taught us this.' Jared confirmed.

'We would appreciate it if you would stay in Quileute lands.' Carlisle said. 'We hunt in the forest and it can sometimes be difficult to be fully in control whilst hunting. I don't want anything to happen.'

'Understood.' Jared nodded. He looked over at Chris for a few seconds before he slowly nodded his agreement.

Miriam muttered 'agreed' under her breath as did Charlie. Jared looked over to me waiting for my response. I nodded to him and turned to face Carlisle and his family.

'Agreed.' I said.

Carlisle sighed in relief. It occurred to me how strange it was that a vampire would breathe at all, let alone sigh. I scanned the others in his family; all of them had shoulders that rose and fell so naturally. I wondered what else about them was just for show, how much more about them was a lie. I hated being here, hated the unnatural taint about them. They were designed to be nothing more than killers, the apex of killers to be true, but killers nonetheless. Their beauty was designed to lure in pray, the speed to catch it, their strength to kill it. If that wasn't enough, some of them even had talents on top of that. How did you avoid a killer that could read your mind, or see the future?

'What if we need to?' Charlie asked.

'A good question,' Carlisle said, 'these vampires pose a danger to all of us, if you need to cross into our lands, do so, but only if you must. Do what you can to let us know and we'll do our best to assist.'

'Thank you,' Jared said, 'for your time and help.'

Carlisle smiled, 'Our help doesn't end there. If Alice sees anything we'll let you know. If you need our aid, for battle or anything else, call us. Jacob has our numbers.'

Jared nodded his thanks and without a gesture from him my pack filed out of the Cullen's house. It had been a short meeting, but important. It was also distasteful, I felt like I needed to shower. Jacob and I were the last to leave the house, I could see Bella trying to make eye contact with Jacob, but he seemed too focused on getting me outside. It was only now that I was thinking that Jacob having his arms around me might not have been an overdose of a Public Display of Affection, but protection. Whether he was protecting them from me or me from them I wasn't sure. If it came down to it, I doubt even he would be.

Once outside their house Charlie turned to say something. Knowing Charlie it was going to be horrendously inappropriate and offensive to the house of vampires Charlie had forgotten could hear us. I waved a single finger in front of my lips at him before he remembered who might be listening. Jared nodded his head towards the forest and the pack jogged gently into the trees. After a minute or so of silent jogging, Jared burst into his wolf form, quickly followed by the others. Jacob gave me a cheeky wink and nudge before his wolf form was running by my side. His gargantuan head turned to face me; his tongue was lolling out of his mouth and panting. I laughed at the ridiculous eight foot wolf next to me and elbowed him in the side before powering up and over taking him.

It was a race back to the Pack House. Jacob and I were dodging the trees and every so often a surprised Miriam or enthusiastic Charlie. I didn't know where Jared was, but I had a feeling he would be counting to ten slowly, possibly in a few different languages to keep him sane whilst dealing with a pack of what seemed to be perpetual-puppies.

We arrived at the porch of the Pack House in a bundle of limbs and fur. I was on Charlie's back as he leapt out of the tree line and landed a few feet from Miriam. Charlie had clearly forgotten I was there and went to roll over onto his back. This had happened a few years ago and I'd managed to get away with only a broken arm, but needless to say I was ready this time. The spirits pulled me a few feet through the air and I landed behind Charlie as he rolled into Miriam, knocking her over.

Jeremy was on the porch of the Pack House looking much healthier, he'd stopped his limping too. Next to him was a pile of clothes ready for the returning pack. I hopped up the stairs into the Pack House, letting them get dressed. I'd never been properly comfortable with their complete blasé attitude to being naked – personal fault I guess – so did my best to not be around instead of them having to find somewhere private, after all, there was only one of me and eight of them, nine including Jacob.

Once inside it was a cacophony of questions from Ryan, Jeremy who'd followed me in, Jack and Ian. How did it go, what was their house like, did they try and eat you, did they smell funny, and so on.

The door opened and Jared walked in with a grin, shooing everyone away.

'It went well,' he said, 'their house was huge and we'd hate it, nobody tried to eat anybody and yes they smelt awful.' He laughed. I liked it when Jared laughed because he never seemed to do it enough.

Miriam threw herself at Jack like she hadn't seen him in years and suddenly there were four different conversations happening about the meeting with the Cullens. I hadn't realised that the few minutes we were with them was that exciting.

Jacob came over to me and pulled me up to him. With his hands on the small of my back he kissed my forehead.

'I've wanted to do something like that to Edward for a very long time.' He laughed.

'What did you do?' Jeremy was his excited self again.

'I couldn't say properly, but mojo shit was worked on one of the vampires. Didn't know what hit him!' Charlie shouted. Jack replied with a loud 'Yee-hah!' and pulled me to him to ruffle my hair. Next person to ruffle my hair was a frog... or a lizard, whichever was easier.

'One of the vampires can read minds,' Jared started, but the atmosphere was so charged he didn't get the chance to finish.

'You should have seen it,' Chris carried on, 'as soon as their Alpha said this dude could read minds, it was glowing eyes and "perhaps I can help" then pow!' Chris jabbed the air.

'The guy's like, holding his head,' Miriam did a hugely over exaggerated impression of Edward holding his head, she looked more like a drunk staggering around.

Ryan leapt at me and caught me in a headlock, rubbing his knuckles on my head. 'Yes, mate!' He laughed. Ryan let me go and I stood back up only to be pulled to the side by Ian who high-fived me.

'Can NOT believe that I missed it.' He yelled.

I looked over at Jared who had a big smile on his face. 'I thought I might have screwed things up.' I said.

'You could have done,' he said with a little more seriousness, 'but if I'd have realised what he was doing, a slight nudge to the cranium was the least I would have given him.'

'On another note,' Miriam said with an overly dramatic tone, 'you should have seen Jacob.' Her eyes held laughter as Jacob became the focus of eight pairs of eyes. Jacob looked like a deer caught in the head lights of an oncoming train.

'Wha-?' He started.

'He had his arms all over the place,' Miriam said, running her hands over her body in an exaggeration so extreme it was laughable.

'He did not!'I exclaimed, only to the 'ooohs' of Ian and Ryan.

'After the vampire is handed his mind on a plate Jacob's all over-protective and "grr"' Chris said, waggling his eyebrows at Jacob as he "grr"ed.' I swatted a hand at Chris's arm; Jacob looked so out of his depth at our in-pack banter I felt sorry for him.

'Then, someone used the W word.' Miriam whispered with another overly dramatic tone and once again, it was received with an 'oooh'. Everyone knew I hated that word.

'You could see Jacob tensing, getting all protective and,' Miriam pulled herself to Jack's side and brought her leg up over his front. Jack caught her thigh in his hand, looking surprised and rather pleased. 'getting close.'

'You sly devil you.' Charlie gave Jacob a cheeky wink.

Miriam carried on. 'But then, we need to leave.' She shrugged her shoulders, dropped her leg from Jack and turned to her side, taking a few steps to imitate us leaving.

'And it was over.' She finished.

Jeremy and Ian shouted "boo!" and "rubbish", but all she did was shrug her shoulders at them.

'What can we tell you?' Charlie laughed, looking at Jacob, 'We're still waiting for a better ending!'

Jacob reached for my hand and gently pulled me to him. For a second I thought I could see anxiety and worry, but a cheer from the pack chased it away. His hand found its way to the back of my head, his other at the bottom of my back. Then his lips were on mine.

I'd like to say that there were fireworks, or even electricity that ran through me and tingled right down to my toes. There were no bells ringing or symphonies playing, there was just relief. It was like I'd been holding my breath for days and all of a sudden I was put outside and told to breathe. One hand was wrapped in his hair, the other had clenched a handful of t-shirt in-between his shoulder blades.

Again, I would like to have said that there was nothing but us, however the roaring and cheers brought us back to the House. We pulled apart and with nothing but a few inches between us looked into each other's eyes. I don't know what he saw, but I saw contentment, peace and forever. Even without the burgeoning feelings I had, to know that I gave someone those feelings was enough.

It was now. This second, this moment, that yes, I was his. He had a right to look at me and say "mine". My decision must have shown on my face, because all of a sudden he looked incredibly ridiculous with a grin on his face that touched his ears.

Jacob twisted on the spot and spun me around, howling at the ceiling. Cheers and roars of laughter filled the cabin. When we finally came to a halt we were surrounded by faces.

'So does this mean you're "official"?' Charlie asked, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

'Why Charlie, you're not jealous?' I laughed.

'So what now?' Ryan asked, 'do we throw you a party or something?'

'Well,' Jack said, 'normal protocol for a newly imprinted pair is for them to disappear for a week or so and become... acquainted.' There was another round of howls and whoops.

'Sadly, this isn't a normal time.' Jared said. The sad tone in his voice calmed everyone down.

Jared stepped forward and rested his hands on mine and Jacob's shoulders.

'I'm pleased for you both, but we a lot to do.' Jared said, 'Any celebration may have to wait.' Jared straightened himself and looked at the rest of his pack.

'Jacob is welcome in our pack, and as part of it if he chooses.' There were a few nods from the others and Jacob looked embarrassed, or was it humbled.

'You had a rumble with a member of your pack.' Jared said, 'You should go to them, tell them how things with the Cullens went and make peace with Paul.'

Jacob suddenly looked lost. 'But I-' he went to say, but Jared raised his hand.

'You agreed to my terms before meeting my pack.' He said. 'You have responsibilities as part of Sam's pack.'

Jacob took a deep breath in and his shoulders sagged. His sad eyes found mine and he pulled me into a tight hug with his face buried in my hair.

'But I just got you.' He whispered. I hugged him back tightly before pulling away so I could look him in the eye.

'I'm not going anywhere.' I said, 'And think about it like this: the sooner we find the bastard who attacked my pack, the sooner we can disappear for a week, or well, you know, two.'

Jacob took a few seconds to process what I said before it dawned on him.

'Right.' Jacob turned to Jared in all seriousness. 'Who do I need to kill?'

Jared laughed under his breath. 'For now, you just need to see your pack. Seth misses you.'

Jacob nodded, 'You're right.' Jacob cupped my chin and there was another round of 'oohs' as Jacob kissed me goodbye. It was his turn to pull away from me and slip out of my arms, unwilling to let go.

He made his way out and gave me a small wave before he opened the door. He hesitated for a second before pushing himself through the door.

The gentle clunk of the closing door was like a canon across my mind. Suddenly I was so cold and alone. My heart had just walked out the door and my body didn't know what to do without it.

An arm was around my shoulder and warmth slowly sunk into them. Ryan was at my said with a small smile on his face.

'We'll look after you until he gets back.' He said quietly. Everyone in the pack suddenly had something to do or somewhere to be. Ryan and I were sitting on the sofa watching the bustle around us.

'So you ready to go scouting?' he asked.

'Always ready.' I said, 'But what are you getting at?'

'If there are vampires travelling the forest, they're doing it in the tree tops where we can't smell them, or get at them.' He said.

'But I can.' Realisation dawned. I looked over at Jared who was talking to the pack who were divided into two groups.

'We're doing reconnaissance with the Uley pack taking one half of the forest, we'll take the other.' Ryan playfully punched my shoulder, 'You're are secret weapon.'

'Got it.' I said, 'Although, we do have a back up weapon, yes?'

Ryan grimaced, 'I figure if anything happens to you, we point Jacob at them and let him go.'

'Not funny!' I said, swatting his arm. Ryan gave me a playful smile before getting serious again. 'You're job is to scout the tree tops, not engage. You come across vamps, knock them down to us.'

'And let you have all the fun?' I whined.

'We can be replaced.' Ryan said seriously, 'Nobody else has skills like yours, they need to be protected.'

The noise in the house was interrupted by a truck pulling up outside the house. Jared gave me a smile and waved Charlie and Chris to the door.

'Delivery for "Jared"?" a male voice shouted.

'In here!' Chris called back. There was a lot of banging and shuffling outside from the truck. I got up to investigate but Ryan waved me back down with a knowing smile.

Eventually two large men shuffled their way through the door carrying a massive, dark oak work bench between them. The workmen were cursing with effort and I knew they had every reason to. That workbench was solid oak; every part of it had a purpose: a secret draw, supply cabinet, bottle store. It must have been incredibly heavy.

'Just there is fine, we'll sort it.' Miriam said. The workmen dropped it to the floor and I winced at the loud bang that reverberated through the room.

'Whatever lady,' One of the guys said, 'Sign here.' Miriam gave a signature with a flourish and walked the workmen to the door. Jeremy and Ian moved to either side of the bench and lifted it without apparent effort to a corner of the room.

I slowly stood up from my position on the sofa and made it half way to the bench. It wasn't possible, they wouldn't have...

I looked at Jared with a stunned expression, then to Miriam, then to Jack. Jack smiled at me and nodded. I ran the rest of the way to the bench and felt the worn groves in the wood, traced my fingers over the invisible catches that opened secret compartments. I tugged at one of the draws and it refused to open. With a delighted smile I pushed down on the handle and tugged it "just so" and it slid open.

My grandfather's work bench! I had spent more hours at this bench growing up than I cared to remember. It had been caught up in a legal battle between my mother and her second husband and the authorities refused to release it.

'How?' I couldn't look at anyone long enough to finish the sentence before I looked back to the bench and its history written in the lines of the wood.

'It was finally cleared,' Jack said, 'we may have had some help from a charming young woman in a legal department, but Charlie could tell you more about that.' Charlie gave me a wink that told of dirty stories and possibly multiple positions.

'It was my pleasure.' He said. Yeah, I bet it was. My gaze fell back on the bench, it was no replacement for the weird emptiness I was feeling, but it was a great help.

'You'll probably want these too?' Jeremy asked. There was pride in his voice, but a little indecision. He was holding a large wooden box that I could see was filled with padding. When he put it down in front of me, I could see that it was filled with glassware. Potion bottles, new conical flasks, test tubes, nearly everything I had been moaning about for years.

I gazed up at Jeremy; I was vaguely aware that my mouth was flapping in what was undoubtedly a very unflattering manner.

'We've seen some of your stuff in action,' Ian said, 'now we want you to properly bring it.'

'So we got you the stuff we thought you'd need.' Chris said with a proud smile. He picked up a potion vile from the box and grinned at me, 'Personally, I'm looking forward to seeing you take out a vampire with a perfume bottle.' Jeremy swiped it out of his hand.

'It's a potion vile, not a perfume bot... you were joking.' Jeremy mumbled the sentence. Chris grinned at him and got him in a headlock whilst ruffling his hair. It was good to see those two back to normal.

'This is an incredible gift,' I said to everyone, I think I may have had a tear welling up, 'and it'll return its help no end, I promise. But in the mean time,' I leant down on one of the corners of the desk and hit the side of the desk with my hip: a small draw popped out at the side with a tiny glass bottle inside. I held it up to the light to see the amber liquid inside.

'Let's go chase some vampires.' I said, staring through the liquid of the bottle. There were whoops and cheers as my pack stripped out of their clothes and headed outside into their assigned packs and there was nobody but me and Jared left in the Pack House.


	6. A beginning of an end

'You've been through a lot over just two days. Only a week since Ryan got hurt.' Jared said quietly whilst walking towards me.

'Say the word,' he continued, 'and you'll be back in Oregon with enough time to think everything over.' He rested his hands on my arms whilst he spoke.

'I won't leave the pack.' I said, looking into his eyes.

'We can handle this,' Jared insisted, 'This is wolf business and you can leave whenever-'

'This is my pack too.' I said without hesitation. 'That is not a benefit I pick and choose, I don't walk away when things are complicated, I don't come running for help when I need it.'

'I'm not sayin-' Jared started,

'Yes you are!' I raised my voice at him. 'I won't be coddled away!'

'Calm down.' Jared whispered.

'I have fought and bled for this pack because I'm part of it!' I growled.

Jared suddenly seemed to be much taller; his shoulders were squared back and he loomed over me. His eyes had locked onto mine and all I could do was stare helplessly back. I could feel adrenaline pumping through my legs which were trying desperately to move in the other direction, but Jared's alpha stare had me rooted to the spot.

'You bled for this pack because it was asked of you.' Jared growled back. 'I have done nothing but give you an option, are you challenging me?'

'No.' I mumbled, hesitant.

'If you were a wolf, I would have thought you might have been.' He said firmly. He took a small step back, no less a menacing tower of strength, but his gaze softened into a run-of-the-mill hard stare. My eyes dropped to the floor and I nearly sighed in relief.

'You are to follow Chris's group from the top of the trees. Avoid fights as much as you can, we're out to look for their leader, not get a loan member into a fight we can't back you up on. Clear?' He asked with steel in his voice.

'Clear.' I raised my head and did my best to look him in the eye. He nodded and turned to leave the house. I exited after him, the entire pack had undoubtedly heard the conversation; Jeremy gave me a look of understanding, a few others had pride in their eyes at my dedication to the pack. It occurred to me how odd it was that I could read them so well whilst they were in wolf form.

Chris's huge brown wolf form howled into the air before it leapt into the midday forest followed by Miriam, Charlie and Jeremy. Power pulsed through me and I landed gently on Jeremy's back as they charged through the trees. Slowly, I came to my feet on Jeremy's back. We'd practiced this so many times he was the only one I dared do it with.

Jeremy dodged through the trees, but kept his back as level as he could so I could keep my balance. I could sense the wonders of the forest better whilst I wasn't a part of it, but there was nothing on the edges of my senses at the moment. With a slight pressure on Jeremy's back, I flipped myself up into the air and pulled at the spirits to carry me.

My feet touched the tree branch as if I'd been walking them for an eternity. I could hear the waterfalls in the distance and I fell into the memory of being sat by them with Jacob: the cascade of rainbows that chased the water to the pool at the bottom, the large Elk, the beautiful sky. The loud call of a bird brought me back to patrolling the tree tops.

I leapt into the tops of a young tree; power flared from me into its branches, lending it strength it didn't have to support me. I ran across impossibly thin branches before they snapped me upwards into the next large tree. Further I ran.

The path before me was fairly clear, so I searched through the spirits into the forest beyond. I felt my pack beneath me and the pack Jared led meters behind guarding our flank. I could also sense another disturbance trampling through the undergrowth. No vampires were so obviously destructive: it was the Uley pack out on patrol of their half of the forest.

Prowling their territory with my mind, I felt something yank at the senses of my thoughts. My foot missed its step and I slipped from the tree branch. I was running nearly sixty feet above my pack, but with power and adrenaline pulsing through me I managed to catch one of the lower branches and swing myself onto Chris's back.

I tugged at Chris's fur and leant to the left, gesturing wildly so the pack would know where I wanted to go.

'That way!' I shouted. I wasn't sure what was in that direction, only that there were vampires and quite a few of them. Gripping Chris's fur, I turned to Miriam so she could hear me through the wiping of the wind.

'We'll need Sam's pack!' I shouted to her. The words seemed to disappear from my mouth as I shouted, but Miriam fell behind us as she howled into the sky. The call was clear and true, and as Miriam was one of the fastest of our pack she was quickly back with us.

The closer we got to the source of the vampires the more I was panicking. We were getting closer and closer to Forks. People lived near here; people who could get hurt, or people who would see us. A few trees rushed by that reminded me of a route I'd taken, and there, a stone I remembered Jacob walking past.

We were on our way to La Push, to where Jacob lived. The power in the back of my head reared up like an enraged stallion. For now, the Nipping Puppy was not a small creature to be trifled with: his mate might be in danger. The Old Dog I was already so oddly used to seemed absent. Not completely gone, more like someone gazing into the horizon not noticing the events around them.

I felt the call of the forest's spirits and fought the urge to leap through them. Jared had been clear: avoid fights as much as you can. I had been ordered not to leap into combat or at least, leap into combat without the pack. I pulled my fingers tighter around Charlie's fur to keep me grounded.

I was counting the seconds that it would take us to get there when I heard a scream. It was crystal clear and pierced the sounds of the forest, the wolf pack trampling its way forwards as well as my madly beating heart.

I had time only for one thought: screw Jared.

And I was nothing.

The beach I was stood on was flanked by the sea on one side, and a few cabins that were common on the reservation. Each of the houses was similar to Jacob's, not coincidental as Jacob's was one of those houses. A family of one of Sam's Pack were running across the beach screaming as their home burst into flame and vampires swarmed out from behind it.

This wasn't an attack to cause death; it was an attack to cause destruction. The vampires were here to hit the Uley pack where they lived: at their wives, sisters, nieces and nephews, at their homes.

Jacob's father was away, but his sister might have come back. My eyes were instantly drawn to the as yet not burning house I recognised as Jacob's.

A sharp smell of lavender cut through the air. It cancelled out the burning and panic and pulled me into a memory.

'I want to watch telly!' A young me moaned.

'And you can,' my Nan said gently, 'but first tell me first where the Peppermint is.' It was one of my first lessons. The sense of smell was so incredibly important to herbalists that it was ingrained from an early age.

Nan had hidden the herbs and spices underneath small pots so I had to focus. My favourite cartoon was starting so with a deep breath and a few seconds concentration, I did what it would take most people several guesses to do.

'It's in that pot next to the one with lavender in it.' I said, almost bored.

I was back on the beach with my senses filled with smoke, screams and heat. I collected myself as my Nan had shown me and took a deep breath in, and I found her. She had just burst out of her front door and was running from her house. I could see movement in the house behind her that told of undead intruders. I felt my power starting to bubble and flare in my mind.

She had the same spice scent as her brother but instead of wood smoke there was a more metallic smell, like a soldering iron left on too long.

I ran at her and made it to her side as a newborn made it onto Jacob's roof top. With a sickeningly majestic grace, the vampire leapt from the roof top in a perfect arc to land on top of us. Without thought or command my power flared in response. The Nipping Puppy reared up and leapt through me, then there was the horrifying moment of dread as it ploughed over wards that were no longer there.

My wards had been destroyed by Jacob's power in the forest. I hadn't rebuilt them.

Power flooded my body and it became impossible to think clearly. As the vampire descended I knew I needed to do something, anything, but it was impossible to focus. Damn it! The vampire had nearly reached us so without thought or conscious demand I let my power pulse through me. A messy arm of sand reached out from the beach, catching the vampire as it leapt. Using the vampires own momentum, the arm drove the vampire beneath the sand. Not enough to keep it down forever, but it would take it awhile to get out. That was an awesome amount of power, gone. I feel to my knees and felt my heart flutter.

I felt the light at the back of my mind flicker. Jacob's power was still too far away and without my wards my power had leapt out in a fierce wave.

'You okay?' I asked from the sand by her side. She nodded at me with terrified brown eyes that reminded me so much of her brother. There were still people on the beach running in panic.

'Run.' I whispered. I saw her nod and take off towards the nearest tree line. As I watched her go I saw one of the vampires grab hold of a young girl, maybe three years old? The red in his eyes glimmered as he slowly bent down to her neck, relishing the child's screams.

I picked up a small stone from the beach and hauled myself up to my feet. I imagined the tiny light at the back of my mind was a pebble. Edges smoothed by decades in the sea, a vein of white running through its middle. The pebble in my hand suddenly felt heavier. I could barely keep my arms up, but that shouldn't matter too much. With a pathetic attempt at a throw the pebble leapt from my hand, eager to find its target. It hit the vampire right between the eyes with enough force to knock him onto his back. The small girl took her chance and ran for the tree line through which Rachel had disappeared. Blackness fogged over my eyes and I feel to my knees again. The vampire was up and slowly prowling his way over to me. My heart gave a jerky thud, its beats getting slower and slower. I felt for the small vial I'd taken out of the desk earlier. It was warm in my hands and I could have sworn I felt it pulse, like it had its own heartbeat.

My Nan had always warned me about this vial. It was a last resort, always. Well, I was about to be vampire food, so now seemed like a good time for a last resort.

I flicked out the stopper and drained the amber contents. I felt the liquid rush through my veins, carrying a power that wasn't mine. It didn't feel right, but it pulsed through my limbs nonetheless. The vampire had prowled its way to me and a cold, hard hand grabbed my throat and hoisted me so my feet weren't touching the sand.

With a loud 'thud' I felt my heart push the alien energy up through my neck into my eyes and ears. Eyes burning with a blue fire looked at the vampire through a world of gray. I could see the wind move through the world like grey waves, rocking the trees gently in their tide and tending the fires of the burning houses.

I looked into the red eyes of the vampire holding me. The bones in his wrist snapped at my whim, and as soon as he released his grip the grey shapes of the wind coalesced and threw him into the nearby sea.

I felt the power of the ocean flowing through me. I was its fury; in me was its power and destruction. These creatures were nothing compared to my might!

The vampire was struggling to get back to land. The waters around him were tugging him this way, then that. They surged over him, wrapping around him tighter and tighter until the waters simply returned to normal. An arm washed up on the shore, then a foot.

Snarls sounded behind me. Two newborns were making their way towards me over the sand with a third coming up behind them. I laughed at them. Pathetic.

I felt the power roll off me, and with too much ease, one of the vampires was mine. He turned on his comrade and in the surprise quickly tore his head of his shoulders. In that short period of time the other vampire had caught up. He leapt into the air to tackle my vampire. I bade him stand still and watched as he was torn to pieces. There was so much beauty in chaos and destruction.

The final vampire glared at me through eyes deranged with rage. I felt for his body, the blood and muscle, bone and cartilage. With a power that felt like it had no end I forced it into his body. There was a quick look of surprise before his face froze, unable to move. His body was changing from the inside out; within seconds there was a perfectly life like statue made from sand, glaring at the world in rage.

Another pulse of power and the sand collapsed into a heap, some of it decorating the gray tides of the wind.

The world flashed with its normal clarity; there were blues and greens and the red and oranges of the fires. Where had the power gone? I was left with nothing but a darkness that was calling to me.

A flash again as the power of the sea took hold again. The world hummed with power once more, but the shock of the sudden change made me stumble to the ground. I was The Sea, there was nothing I could not do. With the last of the power left I reached out to touch the ocean and channel its powers, but the vibrant colours of the world pushed at the failing power of the amber potion and within seconds had chased the last of its effects away. I had nothing left except for the sand between my fingers, the blackness in my mind and the last few struggling beats of my heart.

The power held in that potion had been tremendous, and it was all my body could have done to keep it for as long as it had. I felt the sand under my cheek, but didn't remember falling. I tried to pick myself up, but limbs that were just seconds ago filled with power now wouldn't respond.

I felt the void at the back of my mind and didn't know what else to do but walk into it: peace and surety waited.

I don't know how long I was in the darkness before something started pulling at me, but I didn't want to go. It's calm and quite in the dark, but the building heat in my chest was pulling me away. It was getting hotter and hotter until the feeling was like a fire sitting in my chest. Then, my heart gave a resounding "thud" and it seemed to explode with flame.

The void slid away from me and I cried out as fire poured through my veins. My heart was beating again, a steady rhythmic pulse that shoved burning lava to every limb. Every nerve was alive and responding to the heat that was my only sensation.

I don't know how long I was screaming, or how long I'd begged to die, but eventually there was only the ache in my throat and a breeze on my arm. The pain throbbed every time I moved.

I could hear the crackling of fire and the dangerous sound of waves breaking on sand. I had no power to chase the ocean though and the burning fire lacing through my blood was the only thing that was keeping me awake. I wanted the void again, please let me go. A wet drop on my cheek told me that the sky had started to rain.

The ground beneath me jerked and I groaned as the remaining embers in my blood kindled as I was pulled up. Another rain drop landed on my face. I went to wipe it away but pain lanced through my arm extracting another scream.

With echoes of pain racing through my arm and my veins feeling charred from the inside out, it was now I decided to notice that I wasn't lying on sand: an odd situation for someone lying on a beach.

The breeze gently felt its way across my skin leaving words as it went.

'Are you with me?' It asked. I couldn't answer even if I tried; I wasn't even sure who was asking. I went to roll away from the noise but the anticipation of pain quelled any adventurous thoughts. A familiar warm green pulse started beating through me, chasing the pain along the veins it travelled. Despite the mind-crippling pain, I couldn't help but see myself cheering on the new coming warmth as an invading football team beating the crap out of the hometown prep-boys.

I felt warmth on my cheek, and the Earth beneath my back was radiating heat. After that the feelings of the wind on my skin and sand beneath my legs was irrelevant. The wind traced patterns across my body, whispering as it went.

It was with an astounding amount of confusion that I realised I had eyes. I had been dying with every nerve I'd ever used and then some, but now what mattered was colour and depth. That was all taken up with levels of brown: deep and mild, intense and slight.

As the pain slowly died away I recognised Jacob's arms for what they were. My back was resting against his chest and his arms were wrapped around me. He gently pulled me up into his knelt embrace and inhaled the scent from my neck. His body was shaking as he hugged me and I realised that the raindrops were gentle tears. My mind was still part of the forest and I could feel the void of our attackers moving through it; the forest that Rachel and the others had run into. I had to move; once I was in the forest I would be able to keep them safe.

I pulled on the Old Dog to fuel my travel and started to feel the spirits take me into the forest, but the power was cut off by a sudden squeeze.

'No!' It was Jacob, shaking and upset. 'Don't.' He pleaded.

'The forest.' I managed to croak. Jacob didn't say anything, just held me tighter as I felt tears fall on my shoulder.

Wolves were in front of me. There was a blur of movement I couldn't understand and then Jared was there.

'What happened?' He shouted as he got to us, 'Are you hurt?'

Jacob lifted his head up and looked at Jared with a tear streaked face. 'There was no heart beat,' he nearly shouted. He looked down at me with such sadness, 'You weren't breathing and you were so cold.'

I tried to raise my hand but it wouldn't respond. 'The forest.' I croaked again. 'The vampires went in after them.' Most of what I said just came out as croaks, but Jared got the meaning.

He looked over his shoulder at the wolves on the beach and barked an order.

'Miriam, Charlie, Ian, get in there and protect anybody you find. Find a vampire, pull it apart.' He growled. 'Jeremy, get over here.'

Another weird blur of movement later and Jeremy was at my side. He lifted his hands to touch my face but Jacob pulled me back. Jacob met Jeremy's eye and growled a simple 'don't'.

'I'm just going to help.' Jeremy said softly and slowly moved forward. Jeremy put a hand either side of my face and got close to look into my eyes. A growl ripped through Jacob's chest, but he let Jeremy continue.

Jeremy had spent hours talking to me about my talents, coupled with him preparing for med-school at the time he turned into a werewolf and he was the closest thing we had to a medic.

'Eyes are focused,' he mumbled to himself, 'Do you know what the year is?'

I managed to roll my eyes, but answered him.

'Good, and the President?' He asked.

'Your mum.' I huffed.

Jeremy laughed and looked to Jared. 'It's fine. The body can only cope with so much power going through it, too much zaps the muscles which leaves us with a kind of temporary paralysis.

'What?' Jacob gasped, 'how long is "temporary"?' he growled again at Jeremy.

'It's never happened before.' Jeremy said, 'normally the wards stop that amount of power from getting out of control.'

'We can discuss this later.' Jared said, 'Nobody from the houses were seriously hurt, but the police are going to be here soon.'

Jacob pulled me to the side and stood up, carrying me against his chest. My arm fell limp and dangled as Jacob held me. This wasn't the most embarrassing moment of my life. Ever.

'If I told you to stay here and wait for Sam to arrive,' Jared asked Jacob. Jacob just turned away and started walking towards the Pack House.

'Chris!' Jared barked, 'Get some clothes on and wait here for Sam's pack to arrive, explain what happened. Keep tabs on Miriam, Charlie and Ian; they stay here, in the trees, as guards until Sam's pack arrive.'

I heard a faint tearing sound, then Jeremy and Jared barrelled past us as wolves into the tree line, quickly followed by Ryan and Jack. Jared and Jack went straight to the Pack House, but Ryan and Jeremy circled us as we went: a two wolf guard detail.

'What did you do?' Jacob whispered. 'You could have died, you did die!'

This was going to be a long walk back to the house. It took another fifteen minutes to get back, a journey that had only taken seconds on the way there.

The door to the house was open and the sofa was in the middle of the room. Jacob jogged straight up the steps and laid me down on it, positioning himself behind me so I was resting against his chest. Jared and Jack were inside, Jeremy and Ryan getting changed outside.

'Washington's not looking too lucky for you.' Jack tried a laugh, 'what's this, two near-deaths in under a week?'

'You'll be giving Charlie a run for his money soon.' Jared said. 'I told you not to-' he stopped himself and shook his head.

'If you always did everything I told you to, you'd be boring.' He sighed and ruffled my hair. I couldn't move my arm to stop him but I gave it a really good try.

Jeremy and Ryan walked in, barefoot and dressed in sweatpants. They were probably excepting to need to shift again soon.

'Damn, you look like crap.' Ryan said whilst ruffling my hair. Really!? The ruffling is now off limits. Seriously.

'So how long could this last?' Jacob asked. Jeremy shrugged his shoulders and looked at me.

'Not long.' I said. It was difficult to get the words out properly. 'Burn out,' I mumbled, 'a day?'

I felt Jacob breathe a sigh of relief and pull me closer to him so I was resting between his legs that were stretched out on the sofa.

Jeremy knelt down in front of me and took my hand. He squeezed it gently and asked if I could feel it. I murmured a response. He moved his hand over my ankle and pinched the skin and again I mumbled that I could feel that too.

'You'll be okay, trouble.' He smiled, 'But what happened? I thought you had wards that would stop this from happening.'

'Gone.' I said. 'New power broke them.' Jeremy frowned in confusion.

'What new power?' He asked.

'Oh God,' Jacob tensed behind me and looked down at me from over my shoulder. 'Was it me? Did I do this?' I went to shake my head, but forgot that movement was a bit too much at the minute.

'No.' I managed. Talking should never be this difficult. I was going to have to give up on this talking thing for a while. 'Later.'

Jeremy stood from where he had been crouched and looked at Jared.

'Some rest will do you good.' Jared nodded at the doorway as an order for all to leave.

I groaned and made a point of glaring at Jacob's hand that was resting on the back of the settee. Jacob followed my gaze and lifted his hand slowly with confusion. I kept glaring at it and raised my head slowly; Jacob's hand rose with my gaze. Ah good, he understood the game. I managed to shuffle my head to the right a little, still glaring at his hand. His hand followed my gaze across, and down so it rested on my hip. Jacob seemed to get the idea and pulled me up against him and wrapped both his arms around my chest. He pulled his right knee up so I was cocooned in his arms and between his leg and the back of the sofa. Jack threw open a blanket and rested it on top of us and tucked it in under my legs. He smiled, and then left.

On his way out, Jeremy left a pair of sweatpants next to the sofa and looked at Jacob.

'You might need these later.' He said, then left.

It was just as I was dozing off against Jacob's bare chest that it occurred to me. Jacob was naked.

Suddenly, getting to sleep seemed much harder.

I woke up to the gentle heat that surrounded me. As consciousness returned, I recognised the sofa I was on and the scent of wood smoke and cinnamon that wrapped around me. The events of the previous afternoon flashed through my brain. I must have done something to tell Jacob I was awake because his arms tensed and he leant forward to look at my face.

'You okay?' he said gently. I nodded a response.

Interestingly, nodding didn't seem to be a problem anymore.

'I'm okay.' I said. Ah, so talking was back in the picture too. I looked at my right arm, lying uselessly against Jacob's and willed it to move. Slowly my hand rose to rest on Jacob's and give it an attempt of a squeeze. Jacob nuzzled into my hair and squeezed my hand back. I pulled myself up into a sitting position, or should I say, I tried. I got less than half way before Jacob caught me and sat me up right on the settee. He pulled his legs from underneath mine and looked at me with a grin.

'Feeling better?' He asked; I gently nodded a response.

'Much.' I replied, 'How long was I out?'

'Three hours or so.' Jacob said, 'I was expecting you to be out for longer.'

'So was I.' I sighed. Moving was hard, but it was manageable.

'I think they may have woken you up.' Jacob said. He didn't sound too impressed about it, but was pleased I was talking all the same.

'Who?' I asked, but the answer came from a quite knock on the door.

'Yes!' Jacob shouted at the door, not holding back on hostility.

Jared slid around the door and closed it behind him. He smiled at me and Jacob before continuing.

'Sam's here, he wants to talk to you both and is quite insistent.' Jared paused before carrying on. 'I can tell him to come back.'

'I'm fine.' I said. Eloquence was normally one of my strong points and I was glad I had it back.

'You sure?' Jacob whispered in my ear. I nodded, but pulled on his arms slightly, just so he knew I was glad he was here.

Jared slid out of the door. Jacob leant over and picked up the sweat pants that Jeremy had left him and slid them on underneath the blanket. Not much later, Sam walked in, closing the door behind him. He smiled at the two us wrapped up in a blanket and sat on the arm of the sofa at our feet, watching us both.

'You've done a hell of a thing for us.' He said looking at me. 'You know Paul is imprinted on Rachel?' he asked, I nodded in response.

'He's all for coming down here and declaring you his new brother.' Sam laughed, 'I advised him that it might be better to wait and have a quiet talk with Jake first.'

Good plan. If Paul walked through that door Jacob would have taken his head off before he'd had a chance to speak.

'Also, it turns out that you saved Claire too?' Sam clearly sounded a little unsure.

'The girl!' I yelped, 'She's okay?' Sam had a huge grin and nodded.

'She's okay, and won't stop singing your praises to Quil.' The smile lessened a little as he looked at me, 'Not only did you give those vamps something else to shoot at, but you saved Paul's imprint and Quil's.'

'Quil's imprint?' I asked unsurely.

'Quil imprinted on Claire, the young girl you saved.' Sam said with finality. My eyebrows rose in surprise and my mouth formed an 'o'.

'They'd like the chance to thank you themselves.' Sam said.

'That's not going to happen soon.' Jacob said with finality. He moved closer to me underneath the blanket.

'Jared explained a little of what happened, are you okay?'

'Yeah, just a little fried.' I nodded, 'I'll be fine.'

'When you are well,' Sam said, 'there are things I would like to discuss.'

I'm sure there were, but there was something else playing on his mind. I raised a singular eyebrow at him in true 'Spock' style. Yeah, I was a trekkie.

'Claire has also been badgering me to get you to some see her.' Sam sighed, 'She is persistent for a toddler.'

'Toddlers are persistent by nature.' I laughed. 'As soon as I'm able,' I paused before continuing, 'or rather, as soon as I convince Jacob I'm able, I'll be there.' Jacob smiled at me and draped his arm across my shoulders. I could read the statement in his body language: mine.

Easy bucko; I was a little harder to rope in than that.

Sam nodded with laughter in his eyes and stood.

'We look forward to seeing you.' Sam smiled, but I could have sworn there was a special glint in his eye only I was supposed to see before he properly looked at Jacob. 'When you're both ready, of course.' Jacob nodded politely to Sam, but watched his every move until he shut the door behind him.

As soon as the door shut Jacob scuttled closer underneath the blanket and rested his head on my shoulder.

'Did I do this?' He was talking about my wards.

'It's not that simple.' I said. 'My wards were designed to hold my power, not yours. I should have rebuilt them.'

I turned my head to look at the head of hair resting on my shoulder. He lifted his head and turned it slightly so he was looking at me from my shoulder, worry and sadness etching his features.

'But I guess I was distracted.' I finished. A small smile started to creep onto Jacob's face.

'Distracted by what?' Jacob asked with his growing grin.

'When we first met on the beach,' I said, 'there was this really cute werewolf stood behind you, I really couldn't focus.' Jacob responded with a mock growl and frowned.

'That's a shame,' he said, 'because I'll have to kill him.' He looked at me deadly serious for a good few seconds before "that" grin appeared that made me so happy that he was looking at me. I laughed at him and he laughed back before he gently put his arms around me and leant to kiss me, his hand cupping my chin. He was a hairs-breadth away from my lips before he stopped and pulled back, brown eyes met green.

'Can I kiss you?' It could have sounded cocky or arrogant but it was filled with such emotion. I didn't say anything back, but my hand made the monumental journey to the back of his head and pushed (I think I was pushing, I was definitely trying) him towards me. I saw a brief glimpse of a smile before his lips hit mine.

His lips felt so hot on mine and I barely noticed his arm snake around my waste and pull me in closer. We'd kissed before, but this was ours. There was no pack, no judgement, not really even any thought, just us and the kiss.

Jacob pressed his lips on mine gently. The gentle kiss lasted only a few seconds before Jacob's hand made its way into my hair and it changed. Jacob was now leaning into me, his other hand on my cheek, tilting my head back as he leant in.

Jacob was being gentle, but there was no hiding the passion or power behind the kiss. My mind was a fog of rolling heat responding only to Jacob's tongue. Slowly and reluctantly, Jacob pulled back so there was barely an inch between our lips, our noses still touching. His hands either side of my face, his deep breaths filled the air with smouldering incense. His eyes were nothing but raw emotion, so much so it was nearly frightening. With a deep breath in, he closed his eyes and when he opened them again, Jacob was back. He leant away so that we weren't so close, his hands slid from my face down my arms, pulling them between us and resting them in our entwined legs.

'This wouldn't be right.' He said, and suddenly he was looking at me as if he could see straight into my mind. 'You can:' Jacob started listing points off his fingers, 'pull yourself through the air, run with werewolves, feel the minds of others, go into battle with vampires.' Jacob gave me a sympathetic, wry smile, 'Now you're stuck in your own head.' Jacob's hand was back on my cheek. 'This can't be okay for you.'

I gave him a smile and leant into his hand that was on my cheek. I took a deep breath in and slowly sighed out. Not being able to properly move was one thing, but with my body so exhausted I couldn't feel the pulse of the forest, the heartbeat of the Earth. I was in the dark, but I knew I was floating in a sea of stars, each a brilliant and beautiful spirit. To say it was frustrating and a little frightening was an understatement. A distraction, any distraction, was welcome. Jacob was right, this wasn't okay for me, and it wasn't fair to him.

'No,' I agreed, 'it's not.' I smiled and gave his hands a squeeze. 'Thank you.' I whispered.

'You've got nothing to thank me for.' He said, squeezing my hands in response. There was silence for awhile as we did nothing but simply look at each other. How had I ended up here? How was this person so dedicated to me? Did I deserve it? Did he? There was still so much I didn't know about him.

Jacob leant forward and kissed me gently on the lips. It wasn't passionate, it wasn't fiery, but it was affection.

There was a knock at the door.

'Yes!' It was my turn to shout at the annoying inanimate object this time.

Jacob's lips were still close to mine when Jeremy's head popped around the door. He looked abashed that he'd interrupted, but when his eyes met mine I knew he had news. I sat up straight and Jacob recognised the cue that I'd noticed something.

'Jeremy?'My tone made it clear I wasn't incredibly pleased.

'Ian's got a lead on someone, we think he's the new leader of the newborns.' He said. Jacob snapped to attention and was on his feet before I could blink.

'Where?' It was more of a demanded than request.

'Ian and Ryan are chasing the scent,' Jeremy paused and looked at me with worry, 'but we think it's going to end up at Port Angeles.' He said the place name with such trepidation Jacob couldn't miss it.

'Why is that important?' He asked me.

'I'm, limited, outside the forest.' I said. It was true: most of my talents weren't worth spit when I wasn't surrounded by woodland. In an open clearing I would be okay, but with streets of grey and streetlamps vomiting yellow onto the slabs of concrete? If I ever had to venture into the "urban", I always asked someone from the pack to come with me, mainly just to stop me from having a dozen panic attacks if I got caught in rush hour. Jared always sent three with me just in case there was a problem: one to deal with said problem, one to get me away and one as a spare.

I was worried about Ian and Ryan, but I couldn't shake the feeling there was more to this. Jacob got up from the sofa and stalked over to Jeremy, stopping just a few inches away from him.

'Where are they?' It was so much more a demand than a question.

Jeremy looked terrified and couldn't pull his eyes away from Jacob's intense stare.

'I can't...' Jeremy couldn't finish the sentence before Jacob's hand was on his throat.

His hand tensed and Jeremy gasped for breath. 'You're chasing the thing that is attacking my mate, so you're going to tell me where it is.' Jacob growled at Jeremy. I was doing my best to get in between them, but getting off the sofa was proving difficult.

'You said you would act like a guest in our house.' I don't know how, but Jared's conditions had leapt to the front of my mind.

Jacob snarled, but Jeremy gasped a breath so I knew Jacob had loosened his hold, but his hand stayed at his throat.

'Tell me.' Jacob growled at him again.

'Jacob!' I shouted at him. 'That's my pack mate.' It wasn't anything compared to Jared, Jacob or even Jeremy, but I thought I'd managed a pretty good growl.

Jacob pulled his hand away and I swear Jeremy nearly wet himself with relief. Jacob prowled around the back of the sofa so he was stood behind me and lent on its back. I say "lent", but "braced so he wouldn't break anything else" would be just as appropriate.

'Jeremy?' I said, trying to focus him. I'd spent enough time with werewolves to know that Jeremy was probably in full "fight-or-flight" at the minute.'

'You're okay.' I said, he looked at me with a regaining intelligence. 'Look at me.' I stared into his eyes: I'd done this once with Ian when he'd been scouting as a wolf for weeks, he said it helped him focus.

Jeremy shook his head, breaking his gaze. When he met my eyes again, he was back and if I didn't know better I'd have said he looked hung-over.

'Ian and Ryan are still chasing the scent, but they're having problems.' Jeremy said, 'I can't hear them clearly if I'm not a wolf, but it seems as if the newborns are trying to mask the scent.'

'But they've got a scent?' I asked. Jeremy nodded at me; he was clearly trying very hard not to look at Jacob.

'He or she?' I asked.

'He.' He muttered, currently staring at his shoes. Jacob growled his frustration, but I managed to silence it with a shake of my head.

'Ian and Ryan?' I asked.

'In Quileute lands, approaching the border of the Cullen's land.' He said.

'Do they know?' Jacob asked.

Jeremy gave a good attempt at a nonchalant shrug, but still wouldn't look at him.

'We should talk to Jared.' I said, doing my best to look at Jacob stood behind me. I think I saw him nod before his frame slowly moved around the settee. He walked up to Jeremy and I saw his shoulders tense up as he approached. Jacob gently put a hand on his shoulder and tried to catch his eye.

'Jeremy?' Jacob said quietly. The soft cadence pulled Jeremy's eyes up to meet Jacob's. 'I'm sorry for, you know; I lost it a little. I just want this guy dead, you know?'

'He's attacking my pack.' Jeremy said with a hint of finality, 'I know. But thanks anyway.' Jeremy gave him a ghost of a smile that was as good an apology as was needed. Jacob turned and made his way over to the settee.

He rested himself on the edge of the sofa next to me and pulled my arm around his shoulder. With a gentle movement I was stood up, if mostly leaning on Jacob. Even so, I was shuffling my feet around and had some control over direction. This was a hell of a lot better than what I thought I would be like at this time.

With Jeremy opening the door, Jacob helped me onto an old-fashioned rocking chair that I swear I'd never seen before that was sitting on the porch. Jared was sitting on the steps leading up to the front door, leaning against the handrail. There was no one else in sight, nor a sound of them in the forest around us. Jeremy disappeared around the side of the house and then ran full pelt into the forest as a wolf.

Seconds sailed by into minutes. I didn't want to say hours slid by, but it was so peaceful, but so expectant I had no idea how much time had passed before Jacob took a step towards Jared. Whether out of frustration or a reaction to something I hadn't seen I wasn't sure.

Jacob walked towards Jared, but stopped halfway between my chair and Jared.

'He's talking to them.' I said, answering Jacob's unspoken question.

'To who?' Jacob asked.

'My pack.' I said.

Jacob turned to me looking confused, 'But he's not a wolf?'

'When wolves, my pack have a nearly open mind,' I said, 'every thought and feeling is shared.'

Jacob nodded with understanding. 'Mine's the same.'

'They keep a little of that link when they're human,' I said, 'not a lot, but some. Jared and Jeremy can understand enough when they're human, to talk to them.'

Jacob looked at me with surprise. Jared leapt up from his spot and turned to face us.

'They're on their way back.' Jared said. There was a lot that he had not said in his expression, but now was obviously not a time to ask.

'How are you feeling?' He asked.

'Much better,' I smiled back. 'A few more hours and I'll be right as rain.' Jared simply nodded without much of a smile, and walked to lean on the doorway of the cabin. I could see that he was deep in thought, so when Jacob went to ask him something I made a noise of discomfort. Jacob was at my side in seconds, one hand leaning against the chair, the other indecisively hovering over the bruise on my collar bone or forearm.

'Sorry,' I mumbled, 'I'm fine.' Jacob obviously didn't believe me and settled himself next to my side.

Jared moved inside the cabin, but was out again in less than a minute carrying a large black bag. With a simple swing of his arm the bag flew over two hundred yards and disappeared into the tree line.

There was a scuffle in the trees and eventually Chris walked out looking exhausted with a naked Jeremy clutched in his arms. Next was Charlie; Jacob leapt down the stairs to help him with Ian who he was carrying in his arms. Miriam strolled out with a naked Jack over her shoulder and caught eyes with Jared.

'Ryan's in there.' Her voice was cold and sounded so much like Miriam, but so distant from her normal voice that it chilled the bone.

A huge wolf stepped out of the trees slowly. It was one of the Quileutes, Seth I think, and Ryan was laid out on his back. I don't know how, but enough energy had made it into my legs for me to be standing in shock at the banister that ran the length of the house.

Seth tentatively made his way toward us until Jared stood and gave him a nod. Seth padded his way toward us and got down on his belly so Jared could lift Ryan off him without difficulty. As soon as Ryan was off his back, Seth was back into the woods and out of eye shot before we could blink.

Jared walked into the cabin with Ryan in his arms and flicked his head at Jacob in my direction. Jacob didn't look happy about it, but came to my side and with my arm around his shoulders, led me into the house.

It was like a dream. A horrible, slow-motion, terrible dream. Ryan, Ian, Jeremy and Jack were laid out on the floor that the pack slept on. Littered with cushions, it made the four comfortable at least. I gestured at an area next to Ryan, the last to be brought in and so the closest to the door. Jacob lowered me down to sit between his legs quietly in the room full of nothing but unanswered questions.

Ryan and the others were breathing, slowly and deeply as if they were asleep. They had no signs of broken bones, they just looked like they were sleeping. Jeremy was the exception; a torn flap of skin at the bottom of his neck was being bandaged my Chris as I looked them all over.

'We were being attacked by vampires,' Miriam said, 'then they stopped and ran into the trees.' Miriam's voice broke and she quietly started sobbing into her hand.

'Jack turned on her,' Charlie said quietly, 'and went to rip her throat out.'

Jared and I glared at Charlie as if he was telling a horribly inappropriate joke. In honesty, I hoped he was.

'It's true, Jeremy did the same.' Chris said, his voice getting quieter, 'this is the second time I've had to put him down.' Chris tended to the raw wound on Jeremy's neck with such gentle care it pulled a tear from my eye. Jacob managed to catch it with a reassuring hand, wiping it from my face.

I put my hand on Ryan's head and felt for the power inside me. With my power steadily building and Jacob's torrent of power waiting, it was my own body that would fail me. I had been spent, I was done and there was no more from me. My muscles had channelled all the power they could and were slowly recovering; I would have to be very, very careful if I was to be of any help to anyone.

I rested in Ryan's mind and let his brain send the signals to me. It took a little longer than normal, but I received nothing I wasn't expecting: there was nothing wrong with him, at least, not physically.

There was a weird feeling around his mind, like an oil slick over water. It riled at my touch and I felt Jared grab hold of Ryan's arms as he flinched at the response.

This wasn't a physical ailment, but one similar to that of my talents. Someone, somewhere, had breached his mind and this was the result. The mind, though, was a resilient thing and this would not be the end of my pack mates.

'Why them and not you?' I asked. The question wasn't directed to anyone in particular, but those here understood it was to all.

'We felt it.' Charlie said, 'Like a thud in our brain.'

'It was confusing,' Chris said, 'and it hurt like a bad headache, but that was it.'

'Then he tried to kill me!' Miriam broke from her quite sobbing and fell onto Jack, clutching his chest as she sobbed into it.

'They all turned on us at once.' Charlie said, hovering next to Ian. 'We were so confused that all we were doing was dodging them for a few minutes and then they just, well, stopped.'

'Stopped?' Jared prompted him gently to continue.

'Stopped.' Chris replied having finished Jeremy's dressing. 'They were attacking us, then they were like this.' Chris gestured to the eerily still bodies on the floor. 'They shifted back into human form and didn't move.'

I felt the pieces float around me, all the parts to the same puzzle. Ryan and Ian, who'd both been so lively at our meeting after the Cullens lying there so lifeless, Jeremy and Jack, always to be relied on now lying still.

If there had been a "click" reverberating through the house, it wouldn't have surprised me.

'Got it.' I mumbled. Ryan's body was absolutely fine, perfect even. In his mind there was a trace of something that shouldn't have been there. Like a foreign body suddenly intruding, the mind had eventually gone into shock. The mind had shut itself down in answer to the invasion, in other words, they were all in a coma.

I was so invested in Ryan and the others that I couldn't hear what Jared said. I knew he had asked me something, but those weren't senses I was using right now. Somehow though, through Ryan's nerve endings and electrical impulses, I felt my own hand move. It pulled me out of Ryan for a second, but yes, there was someone tugging at my hand.

I didn't move my head, but gave a small smile before muttering, 'I'll be back, just working.'

This oil slick wasn't just on Ryan's mind, but was the same on them all. None of them had any form of injury that would put them in such a state. This was an attack on their minds that had somehow avoided the rest of the pack, which as they were all connected, was very odd.

Surrounded by heart beats, nerve impulses and electrical stimuli, it was difficult to explain how all I could smell was lavender. Then all of a sudden, I wasn't there anymore.

'I don't know!' I shouted. It wasn't very loud or threatening as I was only nine, but the frustration was there.

My Nan, in her pale cardigan and beige skirt simply smiled at my rage.

'It's quite a simple riddle,' she said, 'you just need to think.'

'I am!' I shouted again.

'I know, young one,' she smiled, 'but your also feeling. Feeling too much stops someone from thinking clearly.'

A withered old hand with veins bumping through the skin rested on my young, pale hand.

'Try again.' She whispered with a smile.

I was in my own head again, although it took a second or two to realise why there wasn't an old hand resting on mine. A hint of lavender cut through the air.

I could do this.

There were no physical marks, so rule out physical damage. The only obvious mark seemed to be this oil-slick feeling on their minds. Why had this affected them and not the others? What had happened that affected these members, but not the others? There were no special breakfasts, no familial links; the only thing that had happened was our meeting with the Cullens.

Everything slowed down.

During that meeting, I'd thrown a wall up around the pack mates who were present. Everyone lying on the floor before me were members who weren't there.

With trepidation, I pulled at the Nipping Puppy at the back of my mind. If was surprisingly easy to wipe away the oil slick from Ryan's mind. A simple pulse of light and it was gone as if it was never there.

Next was Jack. Miriam was perched over him waiting for any movement, or anything that would threaten him. She tensed as I pulled myself across the floor towards him; sadly, walking was still a no.

'Miriam?' I called quietly. I knew she wouldn't respond, but it was important for her to know. Having someone imprinted to me gave me an idea about how she might react. As she hadn't tried to stop me, I assumed that I was okay to move forward.

I reached a hand out to pull me forward, but Jacob was behind me and helped me towards Jack. I didn't need to touch him, but the proximity let me feel the slowly dying slick across his mind and chase the rest away.

Ian and Ryan were left, I felt their minds before Jacob went to help me move. I tugged at the leftover presence on their minds. It was still too strong to remove from where I was, but I'd had enough of this horrible presence.

I was weak and my muscles were drained, but they could move enough for my purposes. If my wards had been in place, they would have stopped what I was about to do, but they weren't, so you know, I'd take that as a sign.

Power pushed through exhausted muscles and my eyes flared green. The unnatural slick that covered my packs mind was like a coil of black in a field of thriving green and white. I condensed the power I had and like a child's sling, slung it at the abhorrent darkness.

It hit with a thud that resounded in my mind and their sudden consciousness reverberated through me.

I had my pack back. They were all awake, alive and well.

Jack was in Miriam's arms and she clearly had no intention of letting him go anytime soon. Chris held Jeremy whilst he recovered from his confusion. Jared was poised next to Ryan, helping him to sit up right, which left Charlie who was talking to a baffled Ian. There were a few tears, a lot of "I'm sorry" and many hugs but still more confusion.

Jacob pulled me away from it all by a few feet so I was sat next to him.

'It's moments like this,' he said, he went to finish, but stopped and took a deep breath. 'It's moments like this that I know why I imprinted on you.'

'Why's that?' I asked, genuinely curious.

'Because,' he said simply, 'you're ace.'

'I'm "ace"?' I repeated, quietly, I'd left a pregnant pause but Jacob hadn't seemed to catch it.

'I could be enticing,' I said, 'or even exotic, alluring, clever, hell I'd settle for "supple", but "ace?"' I was looking at Jacob with exasperation, but surprise and confusion clouded his eyes. Everything seemed to bypass him though as his arms pulled me flat against chest whilst we were still sitting on the floor.

'You'd settle for "supple"?' He whispered in my ear with a very suggestive hand sneaking around my waist.

'Ruffle my hair or call me "ace" again, and you'll never find out.' I said with a sullen line of seriousness that lasted about three seconds in the face of Jacob's thousand terawatt smile. He knew I wasn't angry with him and I wanted to be with my pack.

Somehow, Jacob managed to get me to my feet without my back ever leaving his chest. When I turned to reprimand him he simply smiled at me with an unknown (and completely deceptive) innocence that made my chuckle so much I couldn't tell him off. The little power I'd needed to clear my pack's minds had taken a toll: my arms and legs felt like they were made of lead.

Ryan was the first to come over to me. Ryan nodded at Jacob and pulled me into his arms, wrapping them around me.

'You did it again.' He whispered into my ear. 'If you keep saving my life, I'm gonna have to owe you or something.' He chuckled. I'd managed to get my arms to rest on his and was managing to push back a little. This wasn't the most comfortable of situations after all.

'You okay?' Ryan asked.

'Yeah,' I mumbled, 'just uh, you know, naked.' A flash of recognition flashed across Ryan's face. Me, pulled up against his naked body, not really being able to move and my imprint stood behind me who had apparently, up until now, not noticed there were four naked people in the room.

'Clothes.' Jared ordered.

Jacob carefully wrapped his arms around me as Ryan let go and disappeared, slightly abashed, down the corridor. Jacob's arms were wrapped gently around my chest and his hands rested on my waist, so I was in no danger from Isaac Newton and his damn gravity when my knees buckled. With two large strides Jacob had me sitting on the sofa cocooned in his arms.

Less than thirty seconds had passed before the pack was assembled once again in the main room. Fully clothed one and all.

'I know you're tired,' Jared said, 'but do you know what happened?'

'I can guess.' I said.

'When we went to meet the Cullens, I put up a barrier around our minds so that the Leech couldn't read our thoughts.' Chris nodded his understanding.

'The left overs of this wall kept you safe from whatever it was that took control of the others.'

'Someone took control of us?' Ryan growled.

'I'm not a gambler, but if I was, I'd guess the new leader of the newborns.' I replied.

'This makes things,' Chris muttered, 'difficult.'

'Port Angeles is off limits.' Jared said. 'We don't leave unless in threes and the pack knows where you're going with an estimated time of return. Understood?'

There was a rumble of "yes Jared" from the pack.

'We need some more information on this.' Jared growled.

'One of the Cullens seemed to know about newborns.' I said, 'The blonde, curly haired one.'

'Rosalie?' Jared asked, with a curious eyebrow raised. I shook my head.

'No, the guy.' I replied. Everything was hard to focus on, I was getting sleepy.

'Jasper.' Jacob said. I nodded up at him.

'Jacob, would you arrange a meeting with the Cullens?' Jared asked. Jacob nodded as if it wasn't even a request. I squeezed his hand in thanks.

'Ian, organise a watch around the house,' Jared said, 'Nobody, not even Sam's pack comes within a mile without us knowing.'

'Except Jacob.' I muttered.

'Except Jacob.' Jared agreed.

'There is a watch of four on the house at all times,' Jared turned to face me, 'You're our priority,' he said, 'you can stop this thing from getting into our heads.'

Jacob's seemed to shift closer and I felt pride waving off him.

'When we're close enough, we'll rip him apart.' Jacob growled.

'Maybe later.' I mumbled, already half asleep. Alas, something they hadn't figured on was that their secret weapon was virtually paralysed and needed to sleep.

Chris moved towards me to speak.

'We need to get him now!" Chris barked at Jared. Jacob's arms tensed around me but didn't move.

Jared didn't respond straight away. For a few seconds that felt like they went on for minutes Jared simply looked at Chris. Jared didn't seem to be moving posture, but looked like he was getting taller and his eyes were locked on Chris'.

'He,' Chris started, but suddenly looked unsure, 'he could come here. There's nothing to stop him from walking up to our front door and doing it again.'

Jared didn't respond, just carried on looking at Chris until he finally dipped his head and took a step back. With the situation resolved, Jared looked like he was thinking.

'You're right.' Jared turned to Ian, 'It's going to be a skeleton crew on patrol with me, Chris, Miriam and Charlie in turns.'

'Jacob can't be affected either.' Miriam pointed out.

'Yes, but if this vamp gets past us, I'd like someone in the house.' Jared said, 'Nobody will protect Jacob's mate better than Jacob.'

Jared had carried on speaking, but it was now all lost in a sleepy haze. All there was, was the folds of warm satin that were wrapped around me and the smell of cinnamon and wood smoke in the air.

Looking around, I couldn't see what it was that was keeping me warm, but I felt safe and loved. I was sitting crossed legged on the grass by a lake with my Nan across from me. I could feel the gentle pulse of the Earth rolling through her like she was feeling its heartbeat. It was so peaceful to listen to, wonderful to see, and really frustrating that I'd been trying to do it for ages and could get it.

'You fret too much.' She said with a smile. Her eyes were closed and she had a small, knowing smile on her old face.

I went to say something but she shushed me and without sounding massively patronising either.

'Start again,' she breathed, 'breathe in, feel the Earth, breathe out.'

I clenched my eyes shut and young hands grabbed handfuls of grass in angry fingers. I huffed in and out and swear I heard my Nan chuckle.

'Again.' She whispered. I was about to whine about how unfair it was when I felt a flare of power through her. It was so incredible that she could be part of the Earth like she was.

I tried again, straining my ears for the sound of the Earth and its spirits.

'You're trying too hard little one.' She said, 'You're not listening for a violin in an orchestra. The Earth is a thousand different strings of one instrument and you'll miss them all if you listen for just one.'

I had no idea what she meant, but I wanted her to be impressed. I nodded an understanding I didn't have but let the grass slip from my fingers and rested my hands on the soil.

Thump.

I jumped out of my skin with shock. It was like someone had just struck a drum that was in the middle of my chest. I looked at my Nan, a calm and serene picture with a knowing smile on her face.

I closed my eyes again and rested my hands gently on the soil. I don't know how long I was there, probably quite a while as I remember how eager and expectant I was. When I was starting to forget about the weird "thump" and all I felt was the soil at my fingertips and the wind of my face:

Thump.

Not so surprising this time.

Thump.

I felt the Earth wind its way up my arms and into my body. My heart thumped in time and suddenly I could feel the spirits everywhere. In the grass I was sitting on, the squirrels in the trees watching us, the pollen in the wind that was carrying it. I was everywhere, and it was beautiful.

'Careful, little one.' I heard my Nan's voice and thought that it was the squirrels who had heard, or was it the birds? Maybe both, could the trees hear the words of man?

'Focus.' The voice was kind, but the word had been an order.

I regained a little sense of self and found myself sitting opposite my Nan, but the world of the spirits was alive and tingling at the edge of my senses.

Thump. The pulse of the forest moving through me.

Thump. My first time with the spirits of the forest.

'Now,' My Nan said, grasping one of my arms. For the first time I noticed a long, bloody graze along my elbow and arm. I remembered that, I'd done it falling out of a tree 'feel the energy from the forest.'

A jerk of surprise nearly pulled me from the dream, I didn't remember this. I'd always woken up at this point or some other subconscious fancy would carry me away.

'Our people have a saying,' she said holding my arm, 'Witch, heal thy self.' Her hands pulsed with energy that flared through me with unrelenting power. It was far too much to heal a simple graze; it burned through muscles and threaded into bone and sinew.

I burst from my sleep on the sofa with a yelp and only managed to not fall off the sofa due to Jacob's arms latching me in place.

'Hey, I got you.' He whispered into my hair, 'It was just a dream.'

I leant back into him and his arms sealed around me. I was breathing heavily, panting in air from the shock of the dream and the energy that I could still feel tingling in my skin.

'Just a dream.' He whispered again, shuffling me closer to him.

'I'm okay.' I whispered. His arms didn't move, and I noticed several pairs of wary eyes on me from the rest of my pack. It was with more than a little confusion that I realised that actually, yes, I was okay.

'Jacob, I'm fine.' I gave his arm a gentle tug with my own to demonstrate. Slowly his arms unwrapped, but his hands were never more than a few inches from me as I lifted myself up from the sofa with unsure power, slowly rising to my feet.

I was right. I felt fine. There was no sense of heaviness in my body and everything seemed to be moving the way I expected it to.

'How long was I asleep?' I asked.

'A few hours.' Jacob said, still not trusting that I wasn't going to fall to the floor at any second.

My pack was lying on the floor around the sofa. Chris had risen to settle on his knees with a look of intrigue.

'Kid?' There was a lot of concern wrapped up in those three letters.

I waited for gravity to buckle my knees or power to flee from my mind, but nothing happened. I nodded at him slowly.

'I'm okay. Not entirely sure how,' I said, 'but hey, weirder things have happened?'

'With you around,' Chris said, rising smoothly to his feet wearing a pair of sweatpants, 'I would probably have to think about it.' He said with a grin.

With a quick glimpse towards the window, the "few hours" I'd been asleep had plunged us into early night time with a full moon lighting up the sky.

'Has there been any news?' I asked. Chris gave me a simple shake of his head. Of course there hadn't been news, our quarry had gone to ground in Port Angeles and we wouldn't find it unless we ventured into its concrete maze.

'Jared asked me to speak to the Cullens,' Jacob said quietly, 'It would probably work out better if I went in person.'

I could feel how much Jacob didn't want to leave. In how he tensed his arms as he was talking, in how slowly they unwound and touched every piece of my skin they could before they left and I was alone in the cold as he stood apart.

'I'll speak to the Cullens,' Jacob said to Jared, 'they'll want to help.' Jared stepped forward and clasped Jacob's hand with his own.

'Good luck.' Jared said quietly.

'I'll be back soon.' Jacob had his hand on the door before he turned back to Jared. 'If my mate isn't kept safe, I'll be back a lot sooner.'

Chris nodded his understanding and Jared followed him out onto the porch. As soon as the door shut, I slid myself onto the settee. As soon as I did I felt a welcoming arm around my shoulders and a scent of cutgrass. Chris was sat next to me with a curious look on his face.

'You smell funny.' He simply said. I raised an eyebrow in response.

'I live with werewolves, I'm bound to smell funny.' I replied. Someone nearby huffed a laugh.

Chris smiled and shook his head. 'You smell different.' He explained, 'You normally smell like,' he paused for a second whilst looking at the pack.

'Speed.' Charlie said. Miriam looked at him like he'd just said vampires were cuddly.

'You can't smell of speed.' Miriam said.

'Sure you can,' Charlie replied, then looked at me. 'You smell like the forest, but there are hints that are always changing, like you're running through the trees really fast: totally unmistakable.'

'That's not it,' Miriam said, shaking her head, 'you know when you're running past a river and you can smell the water, that's it.' She nodded her head with authority.

'Totally wrong.' Charlie grumbled, Miriam tapped him on the nose.

'I smell moss.' Ian said.

'Moss?' I nearly growled. Ian just nodded.

'Moving through the trees in the morning with dew on the ground and you tread on some moss. All you can smell is fresh morning air, and moss.' I think I might now be sulking. I looked at Jeremy and raised my eyes accusingly. He held my gaze for a second before finding the floor interesting to look at. He mumbled something that I couldn't understand; even the werewolves in the room seemed to strain to hear him.

Ryan kicked his leg as a prompt. Jeremy breathed in and looked up at me.

'Before I turned, my dad was pretty mean, so when things got,' Jeremy paused for a minute before carrying on, 'bad, I'd hide. There was this big green tree in our garden that I'd hide in for hours, I don't know what kind of tree it was, but that's what you smell like.'

Chris had been lying next to Jeremy before he moved, so Ian slid over and pulled Jeremy into a hug. Jeremy gave me a sad smile and rested a hand on Ian's arm.

'Personally,' Jack interrupted, 'I get candyfloss.'

'I do not smell like candyfloss!' My indignant outrage lifted the mood and everyone laughed. Jack just shrugged his shoulders at me. 'Hot candyfloss like you get at a fare.'

I felt Chris rumble with laughter next to me. 'I don't get candyfloss, but I do get cat.'

'Cat?' I asked.

'Cat.' He nodded.

'As in fat tabby, or majestic predator?' I asked.

Chris laughed, 'With your right hook? Definitely a predator.' He laughed.

'Ryan?' Miriam asked, 'What about you?'

Ryan looked up at me and smiled. 'You smell,' he said, 'like our home in Oregon. The wood, the air, I always had trouble finding you when you were in the house.' He looked a little embarrassed before he continued. 'It's why I liked to keep close when at home, especially when you were ill after you healed me. I felt stupid that I couldn't pick you out when everyone else could.' Jeremy gave his arm a squeeze.

'So, if I don't smell like my Oregon house cat, moss-like candyfloss river,' I looked around at my pack, 'what do I smell like.'

My pack answered with a word that I never thought I would find creepy.

'Lavender.' They all said. The unison obviously spooked them a little too as they all looked around to each other for an explanation.

'Well,' Chris broke the silence, 'the night is young and tomorrow is probably going to be long, so let's get some shut-eye.'

The pack slowly shuffled down into their pillows to get back to sleep. I moved myself forward off the sofa and onto my haunches. Kneeling on the floor I crawled a little past Jeremy and Ian and settled myself on the floor in the middle of my pack; the cushions weren't as comfy as the sofa, but this was where I wanted to be. A few seconds later Chris' arms pulled me against him and I settled my head on his outstretched arm.

His mouth was nearly pressed against my ear when he whispered something to me. 'Times like this, I forget you're not a wolf.' I squeezed his arm in thanks and felt lost in the love of my pack as I felt Jeremy shuffle to rest his head on my leg, Miriam's hand grip mine and Charlie's eyes grinning with affection.

It was all this that was keeping me from going insane. There was clearly some weird shit going on.

I was surrounded by the love and protection of my pack, but the only person I really wanted here was walking into a nest of blood-suckers.

If they hurt him, some "weird shit" was the least of their worries.


	7. A different point of view

Hey folks, sorry about the wait.

Troy123 - you mentioned wanting a different POV. Afraid it's not Sam or Jared (tried it, but didn't quite work), so instead I offer a Jacob POV.

We had a Guest that wanted some Jacob/Bella time. There's a little here, but will be more later; I shall say no more for now. :)

taylor-wolves and Jillian2232115 - thank you for the encouragement. I use it to beat writer's block over the head.

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I didn't think I was going to be able to do it, but I heard the door click behind me. Jared had followed me out of the house and I could feel his tension.

He stood in the twilight, not making a sound.

'What?' I asked impatiently.

'You said the Cullen's will want to help.' He said: it wasn't a question. I waited for his point, but it didn't seem to come.

I needed to get away from this house. I had a job to do, the sooner I did it, the sooner I got to Port Angeles, the sooner that vampire would be dead and the sooner we could get out of here.

I started walking towards the forest; Jared didn't follow until I was past the tree line. I wasn't in the mood to talk to my own Alpha, let alone someone else's. I ripped the sweatpants I was wearing at the waste and leapt into the air ready to shift.

'Stop.' I shuddered, my shift failed but I'd managed to land on my feet nonetheless. That "stop" had the power of an Alpha behind it, and a damn strong one.

I spun on my heel to face the challenge, the rags of my sweatpants in my hands. I threw them into the trees as I started toward him; he was walking slowly towards me. Finally, chest to chest, I glared at him.

'What's your plan?' He asked. I had expected a challenge, a raised voice or even a punch, but not the calm voice.

'I'm going to ask the Cullens for help.' I growled out. It wasn't a hard plan to get your head around. They knew their kind better than we did and were willing to rip them apart.

'What will they do?' Again, his voice was so calm but there was something in it, like a cord of steel supporting something much lighter.

'How should I know?' I shouted at him, Jared took a few steps backwards before I realised I'd shoved him. I took a few breaths to calm myself before I carried on. 'They'll help.' I said quietly.

'You're bringing these vampires into my pack's business,' Jared said, 'their conduct is on you.'

I was responsible for them. A family of blood-suckers most of whom I hated, and I was taking this on.

For my mate, anything.

I gave him a single curt nod before he turned on his heel and headed back to the house. It took a lot not to follow him, grab what was mine, and run into the night.

I turned away and started back towards the Cullens. It was a cold night, not that it really bothered me. I was about to shift when the idea of sharing everything with the rest of my pack suddenly didn't seem so appealing. A few minutes in my own head would let me set things straight.

How many days ago was it that I imprinted? Two? Three? A hundred? More? Standing on the beach, raging at something I can't remember, then the beach was in the sky and my heart in my throat. Once I realised what had happened and I had been carried miles away by my pack, I'm fairly sure I'd broken a few people's bones getting loose. I remember Leah trying to calm me down but never getting in my way.

From there everything seems a blur. There was our race through the forest and the feeling of flying then being pulled from branch to branch by intangible fingers and appearing miles later in seconds. There was the fight with the vampires and overwhelming pride as they fell before us. Then there was the moment I thought it was all ending, only to feel fingers tug at the fur on my neck. There was the word I'd never forget: "stay". I met their Alpha then his pack, a more enjoyable event than I'd expected.

Then we'd met my pack, a blip in our short history highlighted by Paul being a prick. I should have killed him for bruising my mate. He got off light.

That evening, we went to the house I'd grown up in, the house I had swooned over Bella, had discovered I was a werewolf, had my bones broken by Carlisle in. I'd never felt more naked than those first few minutes together in my own house.

"I don't want to kick you out of your own bed." I'd nearly passed out when I heard the words. I'd grabbed a pair of boxers to sleep in, but was having a full on freak-out about doing something wrong. Where was okay to touch, what would happen if I did something wrong, what if, what if, what if?

A breeze blew through the house and a sharp smell of lavender coming from my room pulled me out of it. I took a deep breath and walked through the door, flipping the lights off as I went. I could see fine in the dark and the silhouette in my bed stopped all the panic I'd been feeling and made me smile. There was a bit of moonlight coming through the window that caught the line of the jaw up to the cheek and my eyes picked out some grass that had wedged itself into hair.

I swear I nearly howled when the dark silhouette hugged my pillow and smiled. I made my way across the room and slid under the covers. Where my arms went or any of my worries weren't an issue, no one would take this moment away from me, if this didn't work out, if we couldn't be together, this moment would still be, "mine".

Getting up that morning had been hard, all I really remember was green eyes. Saying "green" eyes was like saying that a sapphire ocean rippling like silk under the blood red and burning oranges of a setting sun was "the sea at sunset". They were deep emerald that dazzled in light that wasn't there; I think if you looked at them long enough you'd forget there was anything else in the world. Of course, we had to move and so we got up to meet the Cullens.

Here I was, marching my mate, my imprint, into a den of vampires and it wasn't the undead I was worried about. It was Bella.

I didn't feel the same for Bella anymore, how could I? There was a history though, one that should be acknowledged, but how do you do the introductions? Hey Bella, this is the reason I don't love you anymore?

It wasn't that simple, I think I still love Bella, just not in the same way. I'd happily kill Edward for her, but that was probably just an excuse.

When we all got to the house, Alex was simply "there": a perfect outline, and perfectly excusable amongst the weird happenings of the past few days.

As soon as Carlisle started speaking, I felt the change in mood: stiff, difficult, angry rage. Carlisle undoubtedly felt what I did and I'd never felt more of an urge to rip his head off. A vice clamped onto my arm, the sudden pain bringing me back to the moment. Miriam turned to smile at me, her hand on my arm and her eyes promising something unpleasant if I messed this up.

Introductions were made in the house, but all I could concentrate on was the unease and tension I had wrapped my arms around. Every time a new Cullen came down the stairs I felt a beat of nervousness or fear. When Edward was ungraciously thrown out of our minds I nearly danced with pride. Hell, I'm proud of myself that I didn't. I knew full well that Bella was trying to get my attention, but all I could feel was the bundle of growing rage and confusion that I'd imprinted on. An excellent excuse not to talk to her; I was such a coward.

The trip back to home was quick, we even raced. I remember the race, it was fun and even passionate. The rest of our pack was dodging us as we went and we ended up on the beach in a mess. There was such family and chat between them as a pack, I didn't understand what was happening until Chris shoved me and suddenly my arms were wrapped around a waist. Jade green eyes captured mine and cold lips sent lances of ice through boiling blood. It was like electricity nipping through your skin all the way to your toes: unbelievable.

A howl pulled me back to reality. I nearly punched whatever caused it, but the sensation of ice on my lips made me focus on my priorities.

Then I had to leave. Leaving has never been so hard.

I know it had to be an important reason for leaving. I remember I shifted, thoughts were shared, Paul was angry and I was angry back. All the while we were on patrol. There were vampires in the forest and we had seen them coming from the north east. We thought they'd been coming down from Canada, the idea that they were coming up from Oregon had confused us, and it wasn't until I heard the howl I knew we'd been wrong.

I'd heard that howl before, it was Miriam's howl, but the last time it had been welcoming to the point of an invite. This time, it was a summons.

I raced through trees with branches slicing at my sides. Then I smelt death; a hollow, musty nothing amongst a wildfire of life and movement: vampires were at our homes.

Even as a wolf I've never moved so quickly. Acid build up was nipping at my muscles until I made it onto the beach, regardless of who was there to see me as a wolf.

Everything stopped.

The silhouette I'd seen in the twilight, seen in my bed, seen jumping through spirits and fighting vampires, was lying on the sand. Cold.

Without realising a difference, I had a different set of limbs. I was cradling the limp, cold body in hands a few moments before I didn't have. There was only a clammy cold; no warmth or welcome, no sense of home or hearth, just death.

"Are you with me?"

A breath came out of me I didn't know I was holding. I pulled the limp corpse to my chest and wrapped it in warmth I hoped would give it life. Nothing. I felt the limbs shudder as the final breath left, even the subtle signs of stiffening as death took hold.

Then, I felt a flare at the back of my head. It was almost like someone with a gun wanting to signal the start of a race, but they were waiting for the 'okay'. I gave the nod and suddenly my blood was on fire. It wasn't painful, it was just different: this was what I was. It was passion and fire.

The lifeless body in my arms surged with life. A cold, lifeless body was suddenly on fire and too hot to touch.

For a few seconds I wasn't sure what to do until there was a scream. Use any word that you will: unpleasant, horrific, unholy, terrified. Imagine that it was your person, use whatever word you need: husband, wife, partner, sister, nephew, brother, mother or father. Hold that person down whilst they beg to die and come out of it without a scar.

Finally the screaming stopped, and everything that mattered was heaving for breath in my arms. I knew the pack was trying to help, but not tearing Jeremy's throat out as he got closer was a trial, one he thankfully doesn't know how close he came to losing.

We spoke a little, and discovering the paralysis knocked the wind out of me. If you would have asked me for a list of words to describe the person I was holding they would be things like: freedom, speed, laughter, movement. To be put in a jail made of your own body must be one of the worst things someone could do to you.

For a while it was just a haze. I had my mate and had to get them back to their pack; there was nowhere else I could possible go. So with a slowly waking life in my arms, I stormed my way back to the house. I felt the patrol circling us, but nothing would pull the attention away from the slowly growing heartbeat in my arms.

The house seemed to be nothing but a cacophony of useless noise whilst I tried to focus on a heartbeat that slowly built. Then we find out that it was me who destroyed the wards, me who let this happen. The result of an imprint that wasn't wanted was to be tortured by the new power discovered in your imprint. I wasn't sure if that was irony, but I hated this. The urge to simply up and run away somewhere where nobody could find us had never been stronger.

The few hours that we rested were blissful. I didn't sleep, just watched the slowly rising chest that was resting against me. I could hear the chatter outside, but didn't want to risk moving.

Eventually the breathing sped up and tired arms and legs stretched a little. A beaming smile told me that they felt much better and those green eyes locked onto mine.

We kissed, and it was hot. The time wasn't right though, not when what you loved about someone was how free they were, but they could barely lift an arm. I thought it would have been harder to rein it in, but this was not what was needed: I needed to be a protector, not a lover.

At least, for the time being.

The pack returned, but in a sorry state and with worrying stories. Scared and desolate people laid their loved ones on the cushions that filled the floor. Jeremy had a gaping wound at the bottom of his neck, but the rest seemed unharmed. I was listening to most of the explanations, but couldn't focus properly. I tugged at the hand resting on Ryan's shoulder to see what understanding was in those green eyes. I didn't get a flash of green, or even more than a sentence, but I did get a flash of what was happening. I felt the information carried through Ryan's body by electrical impulses, I saw his body through capillaries and arteries. There was something about it all that made me feel dirty and ill.

Through it all, I watched my mate work, and it was incredible. I felt the power leap across the room and the feeling of nausea fled as waking pack mates were welcomed into loving arms.

With everyone alive and well, I wanted to howl and shout at everyone nearby that this was my mate. And. They. Were. Awesome!

Once everything had calmed down we curled up on the sofa with the pack resting around us. Gently drifting in sleep, limbs rustled in my arms. I clamped my arms around the body that just a few seconds ago was gently resting; now it was fighting, struggling to get away from a dream.

As the struggling had shown, the paralysis had worn off, somehow. This meant that I had no reason to hang around. Oh, I wanted to, I really, really wanted to. The sooner that this new 'king of the newborns' was dead, the sooner we could be back on the sofa, or in the forest, or well, you know.

So here I was, in the middle of the night walking through the forest and getting nowhere fast because I didn't want my pack riding my memories.

With a sigh, I leapt into the air again and howled as I closed the distance between me and the Cullens. It felt like Sam had been waiting for me and his and Quil's minds raced through everything that had happened. It was so much to go through in so little time, but they got the idea and would wait for me on the Cullen border if I needed them.

It was nice of them, but I wouldn't need them. What I needed was on a sofa a few miles behind me, and I was currently going in the wrong damn direction.

I'd made this journey so many times I'd lost count. Prowling the borders of the Cullen's land, walking with Bella, hell, there'd been a couple of times I'd walked this way because I was thinking of Bella, and this is the way she'd walked: to the vampire's house and to Edward. That used to make me feel so angry that I couldn't think straight. I'd be able to feel the wolf clawing at the inside of my head with rage. I definitely still cared for Bella, and if Edward ever hurt her I'd kill him, regardless of treaties or borders or whatever. Now though, thinking of Bella together with him just made me miss my mate even more.

I could see the lights of the Cullen house in the distance. That meant that Bella was with them; vampires didn't need lights. A few more seconds and I was at the tree line that circled their house. Edward was sitting in one of the lower branches and jumped down when he saw me.

'Bella's inside,' he said, holding out a pair of jeans and a plain t-shirt. 'She misses you.'

I shifted without saying anything and took the clothes from him. I was never sure what to say to him, why say anything when he can just read your mind?

I mumbled thanks as I slid into the clothes he'd brought out and followed him into the house. The smell of decay hit me like a wave, but I was used to that particular odour by now. Bella looked up from the sofa and smiled when she saw me. Walking quickly through the living room she gave me a gentle hug. She smelt like a Lilly in a graveyard of death and decay.

'I didn't get a chance to speak to you last time.' She said quietly.

'I know,' I said, 'sorry. I was worried that things had gotten a little,' I looked at Alice, Jasper and Carlisle who were still sitting, Carlisle rising to his feet, 'tense. I thought it was best to keep things moving.'

'I can understand that things must be difficult for both packs.' Carlisle said whilst he walked over to me. 'It's good to see you well and happy Jacob.' He continued as we shook hands.

'You both looked happy.' Bella said with a genuine smile.

'I'm not so sure that Jacob's imprint looked so happy when they were here last.' Edward said quietly as he moved around to Bella's side.

'As I said,' I levelled my eyes with his, '"tense"'.

'So what's it like to be imprinted?' Alice asked, 'And come over, sit.' She gestured at the settee across from her and Jasper.

Bella came to my side and walked me over to the couch to sit next to her.

'So, how did you two meet?' Bella asked.

'Was it love and first sight?' Alice asked, 'Did your eyes meet over a bowl of kibble?'

'Alice!' Bella admonished her, but there was no maliciousness in her comment, just a vampire attempt at humour. Alice raised her hands in an apology.

'Don't mind them.' Bella carried on, 'but seriously, details. Spill.' She emphasised the last word with a poke to my ribs.

'Maybe another time,' I said to Bella, 'maybe we could all get together after this is all over.'

'That'd be great! I've missed you.'

'But I'm afraid I've not come for a catch-up.' I finally turned to Carlisle.

'What's happened?'Carlisle asked.

'A few of the Oregon pack are scouting through your land between here and Port Angeles.' I said, 'They've got a lead on the new leader of the newborns.'

'In Port Angeles?' Jasper asked. I nodded; Jasper suddenly seemed more aware and focused on the conversation.

'Have they encountered him?' He asked.

'Not directly.' I said. Carlisle shifted uncomfortably.

'That doesn't sound good. What happened?' he asked.

'Some of Jared's pack was chasing vamps through the forest. Suddenly, they disappeared and half the pack is attacking the other half.' I said quietly, remembering the look on the pack's faces when they brought their kin into the pack house.

'We think that this leader can control minds.'

'Why half the pack and not all of it?' Alice asked.

'The ones who weren't affected were the people who had come here to meet you.' I said.

'And had their minds protected.' Edward finished. 'I still can't hear your thoughts properly, just flashes.' I nodded simply at Edward. The fact that he couldn't turn his way through my thoughts like you would a book made me feel a little more comfortable.

'We'll help however we can.' Carlisle said, stepping forward.

'We're limited in Port Angeles,' I said.

'You can't turn into wolves.' Bella said, I wasn't sure if it was more a question or statement. I nodded at her anyway, just in case.

'Weather forecast for the next few days is all clouds and rain.' Jasper said, 'we can back you up.' I looked at Carlisle who nodded his head.

'Thank you.' I stood from the couch and Bella stood with me. 'I'm sorry it's not a long visit.'

'That's okay.' Bella gave me a sad smile. 'You've got someone important to get back to.' She gave me a playful push towards the doorway. I felt myself grinning and pulled her in for a hug, resting my chin on her head and gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze. I hadn't realised how much I'd missed My Friend Bella with everything that had been going on: vampires, werewolves, armies.

'I've got a new bike I'm working on,' I said over the top of her head, 'you'll have to come down and help me with it.'

Bella pulled away and beamed a smile, 'I'd like that.'

'Or you could come cliff diving with us?' I asked with a laugh.

'Uh, let's keep clear of cliffs and diving for now.' Edward said, stepping to Bella's side.

'Edward.' I said as I shook his hand, then Carlisle.

'I'll pass the message on to Jared.' I said to him.

'We'll be ready. Thank you Jake.'

I turned and walked to the front door. With a few strides I was at the bottom of the steps that led to their door. Bella was in the doorway and gave me a small wave. Edward was over her shoulder, I don't know whether he could read my thoughts, but he nodded as if he did: keep her safe.

I picked up a steady pace and jogged a few meters into the forest before four paws hit the ground. Sam was all over my mind like bees on honey.

'You'll need to take some of our pack.' His voice sounded in my head.

'We've already got a pack and a troop of vampires.' I growled out. 'This is a hunt, not a party.'

'This is our business Jake, our land and our problem. I'm not letting strangers and vampires do it all for us.'

Everyone else must have been asleep or human as it was very rarely a one-way conversation when you were a wolf.

'I'm going. That's enough.' I said, there was no need to risk anyone else.

'No. Leah and Jared will be going with you, they'll meet you at the pack house tomorrow morning.' I could hear the order in his voice.

'Sam-'

'No arguments Jake. This is happening.'

It was pointless arguing. So instead I focused on the ground disappearing below me as I worked faster and faster. The trees whipped by, but I wasn't paying attention to them. I was nearly there.

With the tree line in sight I slowed my pace and walked onto the path that led up to the house. Sitting quietly on the grass at the front of a house was a silhouette in the darkness. Sitting upright with legs crossed; a look of peace and serenity sat on rested features.

Home.

I don't remember crossing the ground between us, but I was curled up around the small shadow that could be lost in my fur.

'Hey you.' A quite voice said. Green eyes met my simple brown ones. 'I was meditating to help shift the last of this paralysis.'

The heartbeat quickened a little and there were movements that didn't look right. Humans were terrible liars. I whined a little and huffed a breath through my nose.

'Okay, I couldn't sleep and was waiting for you to get back.' I noticed that on the grass was a pair of sweatpants, the ones that this pack seemed to have in abundance. I shuffled away a little, then with a weird twist and a quick tug I was human again and wearing the sweats that were lying on the grass.

Lying back on the ground, I met sparkling green eyes and patted the grass next to me.

A head laid itself gently on my chest and my arm found its way around a pair of shoulders.

'Feeling better?' I turned my head to kiss the top of a head of hair, silver in the clear moonlight.

I felt a nod as the body next to mine turned a little and an arm crossed my stomach and squeezed an affectionate hug.

'So,' I started with a grin, 'you can't get to sleep without me? Is that right?' I laughed.

There was a 'hmph' as the arm across my stomach retreated and the warmth against my side started to move away.

'Well I guess I can try.'

I pulled the fleeing body back to mine and rolled over so I was lying on top. Laughter sounded through the quiet night. I would do anything to cause that sound again.

A cool hand ran down from my hair to rest on my cheek. Emerald eyes looked into mine with a gaze I don't know how I'd earned, but would never give up.

'Right here,' I said, 'this, this is all I want: peace and quiet and you and me.'

'You've got me,' the cool hand ran across my lips and dropped to my side. 'I've got you, the peace and quiet we might have to fight for.' A cool kiss was placed on my neck, just between my shoulder and ear.

'Then we'll fight, and we'll win.' I said quietly. There wasn't any anger or rage, just simplicity, we would fight and we would win.

I leant down and placed my nose at the hollow dip of the throat. Slowly across the skin I traced a line to where I could still feel a kiss on mine. Taking all the time in the world I pressed my lips to the skin beneath them and returned the gesture, fire for ice.

Settling down, my head resting on a chest that gently rose and fell, my arms wrapped around my treasure.


	8. An unexpected event

Ever had one of those mornings when you know full well you should be awake: helping your parents pack, revising for an exam, be on your way to work for an early meeting, etcetera?

This was absolutely, definitely and unequivocally one of those mornings. I knew how important today was, I knew how I could help smooth things along, I even knew that Jared knew I was awake but wasn't saying anything even though he'd hold it over me later.

I had a problem however.

There was a weight on my chest that I simply couldn't move.

It had matte black hair, russet skin, rose and fell as regular as Ol' Faithful, had killer brown eyes underneath those lids and a thousand terawatt smile.

Come what may, I couldn't bring myself to move him, so I lay still in the guilt that my pack were preparing for the day and I was laying on the grass, in the sun, with Jacob sleeping happily against me. I'd never been happier.

With my power now able to run through my body, I took the time to spread out and feel the forest around the house. It was blissful and simple to lose yourself in the concerns of animals and insects. To spend a few seconds in the life of an ant (to whom, a few seconds is a lot longer), then to resurface as someone with a lot more complicated things to cope with is quite a grounding experience.

The further from the house I stretched, the more comforted I felt. It meant that the newborns weren't approaching, that I, and Jacob, were safe.

Jacob shuffled against me in his sleep, so I used the opportunity to give him a nudge and make a move on those sleep-saddled eyelids.

Slowly, the mass of raven hair pulled back to reveal those killer brown eyes. The depth of a vat of dark chocolate made me forget the injustice of a sleepless night and welcomed him to a morning with smiles.

At least, for a few seconds.

'So the sleeping beauties are up!' Chris shouted.

I raised a hand to the sky to make my peace. 'No, I'm not up, just slightly not down!'

'You slept in,' Charlie laughed, 'so I ate your breakfast.'

The growl that issued from Jacob's still asleep lips was fierce, but we all knew that it was meant in play. I heard the laughter die away though the same time as the familiar warmth at my side pulled away.

Jacob was stood proud and tall. Against a backdrop of a crystal clear lake and hazy horizon, he was almost majestic, but still completely sleep-addled.

Jared, Sam's Beta, was sitting at the base of a tree about a hundred yards from where we had been lying. Leah was stood in the shadows behind him watching the different members of the pack. I had to admire Jared's diplomacy. Jared and Leah were waiting for Jacob to wake up before joining the pack; not necessary, but it would smooth things over with Jacob.

I could tell when Jacob noticed them, he huffed a disgruntled greeting at them and nodded.

Permission given.

I pulled myself to my feet slowly to discover the kink in my neck from how I'd been lying on the grass. Working on it slowly with my thumb I smiled up at the sleepy werewolf who still seemed to be making sense of the world.

'You should go speak to them,' I said, 'they probably don't feel too comfortable.'

'Good,' Jacob grunted. I rubbed Jacob's arm to pull his attention away from them.

'They're under orders, play nice.'

'What're you going to do?' Jacob asked me with a playful smile slowly overriding the sleepy daze.

'I've got some work to do before we go chasing newborns.' I sighed. I'd much rather be lying on the grass in the sun. Jacob's grin wavered a little as I answered him.

I sighed, 'But I guess I could make us breakfast.' Yep, right answer. The terawatt smile was out in force and I got a quick kiss before Jacob bounded over to his Beta and Leah. I wish that the promise of breakfast was all it took to make me that cheerful in the morning.

As I made my way towards the porch of the house I saw Ian, Charlie and Ryan sparring with Chris, Miriam and Jared, like for like in that order. As the fastest and quietest, Ian, Charlie and Ryan were often assigned to guard the borders or work as scouts. As such, Jared paid close attention to their combat training to make sure they never got rusty. I waited for the right moment before I shouted 'Charlie!' just at the right time to distract him. Miriam went low and swept his feet from under him as he turned to see who had shouted his name.

'That'll teach you for touching my breakfast.' I muttered, knowing full well he could hear me. I heard a few laughs as I disappeared into the house.

'Hey.' Jack nodded at me as I walked into the house.

'Morning,' I said, 'did Charlie really eat our breakfast?'

Jack laughed. 'He thinks he did. Miriam and I saved you a couple of packs of bacon in the bottom draw.' Jack gestured to the bottom draw of the double-door fridge-freezer. I laughed a thank you at him as he walked away, a cheeky wink as a "you're welcome".

As I was trawling my way through bags of frozen chips and forgotten vegetables I felt a gentle tap on my shoulder. Turning around, Jeremy was stood behind me looking slightly guilty.

'I hope you don't mind, but I got you started on the tincture from the roots Ian brought in with him.'

Through a cloudily haze, I was suddenly re-watching the events of the night before. Eyes that were filled with smoke induced tears watched as a figure very similar to my own curled up with a pack of people that huddled around it.

The puppy of power at the back of my mind gave a kick and we pushed through the smoke of my memories only to be hit by a mallet of fog.

Apparently, this little memory detour wasn't optional. And now, my head hurt.

I was back on the floor with the rest of my pack. I'd settled into a restful slumber with a proud arm of a pack Beta resting over me. Slowly, I turned into Chris and smiled when I felt his arm tighten a little. I returned the hug and rolled slightly towards him. Smiling contentedly, Chris rolled on to his back and the arm that was resting over me was now comfortably on his chest.

The old 'Hug and Roll'; many great thanks to my Friends' Ross and Chandler for that one!

Gentles ripples of power washed through my limbs, and I rose to my feet without even a ripple in the dust dancing through the breaths of the pack. One gentle step at a time I made my way over their sleeping bodies and wound my way around the memorised boards of the floor that creaked or groaned when stepped upon.

After a few minutes I'd made my way safely to the door. Here was the difficult part.

With a deep nervous breath I braced my hands on the windowsill of the open window next to the door, precariously close to a sleeping Ian's head. Power sparked through my arms, granting them a strength that could support the rest of my body and lower me out of the window: slowly, gently, quietly, softly.

With a smug pride in my chest, I took a few gentle steps towards the staircase leading its way down to the path that led away from the Pack House. I paused for a second and closed my eyes; there was something different about the world at this time of the morning.

Silent and peaceful, you could be forgiven for forgetting that the forces we were fighting didn't exist anymore.

Quiet and still, I breathed the night air in deep and let its crisp freshness chase away any lethargy that anchored my limbs.

Rested and tranquil, I opened my eyes and a sense of purpose directed me. The things that needed completing tonight were my tasks, not the packs. They were quintessentially me and mine alone.

'So where are we going?' The whisper asked.

I shrieked some kind of undignified noise and spun around to face the apparition that followed me.

Ian was stood a few steps between me and the still open window. Clad only in jeans, shadows and a smile, I almost couldn't see him in the soft moonlight.

I must have had a look on my face that matched the undignified screech that I'd used to announce his presence.

'I, uh, well-' I managed to try and start three sentences all at the same time.

Ian stalked forward two silent steps and rested a calming hand on my shoulder with a smile. His eyes were friendly, but held an unspoken question.

'There are things I need to do,' I whispered. Suddenly I found it hard to look Ian in the eye, 'Jared made clear that I may be Pack, but I'm not a wolf.' The wind whipped through the air and gave a damn good impression of a wolf's howl as it ripped through the trees.

'I've things to do and these things aren't 'wolf' things.' I whispered to the floor boards of the porch. 'I didn't want to wake or worry anyone.'

Ian squeezed my shoulder and his other hand gently pulled my chin up so I was looking at his dark eyes.

'You are Pack.' He said, 'anything you have to do, is something we have to do.'

I smiled and squeezed his hand in thanks.

'And you did well not waking anyone', Ian said, 'until you screamed, anyway.' He laughed.

'I did not scream!' I protested, knocking his hand away from my shoulder.

'Yes you did!' A voice that sounded a lot like Charlie sounded from inside.

I grumbled and muttered under my breath as Ian stood closer and turned me towards the forest.

'So what are we doing?' Ian asked, gesturing at the black dense of trees.

I ran my gaze over the black line of nothing that I knew to be the trees that started the line to the forest. Without my power, that was the beginning of nothing. It was a void: black, nothing, desolate. 'I'll show you.' I said before I turned to face him with eyes glowing emerald. I knocked his arm from my shoulder and with enchanted legs leapt over the banister of the porch.

Focused on the approaching black of the tree line, I almost thought that I might lose Ian as I raced forward. Before I'd even finished thinking that I might lose him, I heard his laugh close behind me.

Once passed the tree line my senses were pulled into the forest: Hello, old friend.

What I was looking for started glowing like fireflies in the dark of the inky blackness. I was tempted to pull myself through the spirits to get there, but for now the race took priority.

I made eye-contact with Ian and laughed as I pushed forward to where we needed to be. We bounded through a silent forest, waking chaos as we went. I leapt from the ground and with empowered legs leapt from a tree trunk into the branches of a nearby tree; as I swung from one arm to the other Ian gain ground beneath me.

The pulsing light came closer and closer so I landed next to Ian, keeping pace with his inhuman speed. Ian was the fastest of our pack, and it was by him that I measured inhuman speed. With power pulsing through me I still found it difficult to keep up with him. I pointed at a spot in front of us so that he'd know where the end point was, and then the race was on.

Ian almost growled as he put the extra effort into pushing past me whilst I focused energy through muscle and sinew to keep pace.

The leaves and plants whipped passed us, too quickly to tell what was what. I loved the race, the passion in speed and the whip of the wind. The cost though, was what you ran passed. At such a speed could you tell if what you ran past was a daisy, or the rarest flower you're likely ever to see? A simple dandelion with no use besides a basic diuretic, or part of a disease-curing agent?

I involuntarily slowed so that the passing blurs gained some form of semblance to trees, plants or animals.

Ian made it to the point I'd marked before I did. He turned to face me, panting with sweat dripping down his face and running down his back. He grinned like he'd just won the Tour de France.

I arrived seconds after him and raised a hand to high-five him. Ian smiled whilst still gasping for breath and high-fived me.

'Good run.' I smiled.

'Well ran.' He replied. That was how we'd finish our races when I first joined the pack. Jared had found Ian not long before me, so our races were often contested and sometimes quite heated. It had taken Chris to mediate a 'good sportsman' attitude between us. 'Is this what we're here for?' He asked.

Ian was looking at a green plant with straight shoots running in joints, up to five feet. The blossoms of white were just below my head height.

'This is the plant, but these,' I said, pointing to the flowers, 'aren't.' I knelt to the ground and wiped a brow of sweat away before I continued. I dug at the base of the plant and pulled away handfuls of soil. A few seconds passed before Ian joined me.

'Here'. The word stopped Ian from digging further and his dark eyes settled on what we'd uncovered.

We'd only been pulling at the earth for a few seconds; the roots of the plant were in clear view. At the top they were an inch thick before they divided into tributaries of lesser vessels.

'We need to make a tincture from the roots.' I said, before starting to harvest the appropriate roots carefully. It took a couple of seconds before I remembered that I wasn't talking to Jeremy.

'These roots are only useful up until here,' I said, pointing at a think root. 'Any thinner than that and they won't do us any good. If you're in doubt, don't use them.'

'Okay.' Ian nodded, and started digging at the roots we hadn't uncovered yet. Ian's black hair was flat against his head, sweat still clinging it to his skin. Unlike the rest of the pack, Ian had alabaster skin and it nearly sang in the moonlight, so bright against the black of secret trees and unspoken space.

After a few moments of digging he asked, 'what is this plant?'

'It's Angelica,' I said, 'Angelica Californica, if you're going to be specific.'

'How's it going to help?' he grunted as he pulled a root cluster from the plant.

'Different plants can help with different things,' I took the roots from him with an appreciative nod; these would work well.

'And these?' he asked.

'We need to defend against the newborn King's ability to affect minds, this will help.'

Ian grunted acknowledgement and pulled a final stump of roots before reaching for another. I took the roots from him and rested a hand on his shoulder.

'We'll need to find another plant.' I said quietly.

Ian ignored me and continued at the plant before him. 'I can get a few more from here.'

I squeezed his shoulder before he continued. 'Anymore and the plant will die. We can find another one.'

Ian looked at me with confusion before he rose to stand looking down at me. There was a deep confusion in his eyes, something he was trying to figure out about me without saying anything. I turned towards the next gentle pulse of light in the forest that was within walking distance.

Ian and I moved towards it, and the rest of our digging activities were carried out in ambient silence.

Eventually, when Ian and I returned to the pack with a pack full of roots, his hand stopped me at our borders.

I turned to him with a question on my lips before he stopped it with a shake of his head.

'We're at the edge of our hearing.' He said, 'so there are things I want to tell you.'

I didn't know what he was going to say, but I understood that it held a lot of meaning for him.

'We all heard your discussion with Jared,' he said, 'and we all want you to know that whilst you may not be able to turn into a wolf, to us you're a wolf in every way that matters.'

Ian stared into my eyes as he spoke, 'Jared is worried and doesn't want you to get into something we can't help you with.'

A feeling grew in my chest that felt like it was going to explode. I leapt at Ian and threw my arms around him. This was my pack, and this was why I fought for them. We were insanely loyal, wonderfully devoted and stupidly dedicated to each other.

'Thanks,' I mumbled into his shoulder whilst I hugged him.

'Anytime.' He chuckled, 'although, I'll need to get you back.' I looked up at him with curiosity; what was happening that needed me back at the pack house?

'If I don't get you back soon,' Ian said, 'Jacob will be back, and I don't want to have to explain your absence to him.'

In a comfortable silence, Ian and I walked up to the house.

'I'm gonna stay here.' I said as we were about to walk up the steps to the house.

Ian had his arm around my shoulders and clearly didn't want to leave me out of his sight. I laughed at his over-protective gesture and smiled at him.

'We both know that Miriam is scouting the house and that I'm in no danger.' I said. Ian looked a little abashed that I'd figured out his scouting routines and dropped his arm from my shoulder.

'If you need us,' he said, letting the statement hang in the air.

'I'll screech in an undignified manner.' I laughed. 'Could you leave these with Jeremy? He'll know what to do with them.' I handed Ian the bag of roots that we had collected. Ian gave me a wink before turning his back and heading towards the house. I stood and watched his muscled back walk away from me. He stopped at the front door to turn and look at the subject of his guardianship for the evening. I nodded an "okay" at him before he walked into the house and disappeared from sight.

The mist cleared and I was back in the kitchen, the hustle of the pack surrounding me again.

'Hey, you okay?' Jeremy asked.

'Yeah. Sorry, just kind of phased out there.' I mumbled, shaking my head to try and clear away the last of the memories.

'I said that I'd gotten you started with the tinctures,' Jeremy said, 'was that okay?'

With a loud 'a-ha!' I stood to face Jeremy brandishing the two packs of bacon. I handed them to him as I went to walk past. 'I'm sure you've done it perfectly,' I said, 'get the bacon started for me and I'll go and have a look.'

Jeremy nodded, all nerves, as he pulled at one of the still hot frying pans on the stove. I had been in such a world of my own when I'd walked into the pack house that I hadn't noticed my grandfather's desk, I mean my desk, was looking quite different. A large conical flash sat on metal gauze above bright red coals on its right side. Inside it, the yellow liquid the roots were sitting in bubbled away. The back panels of the desk that you would be looking at if you were sat at the desk had been pulled away and gently placed against the wall. The tube that led from the top of the simmering flask connected to glass tubes that wound their way from one side of the desk to the other. There were small wells filled with ice along the glass tubes' path to cool the vapors as they made their journey. At the other end of the desk, symmetrical to the original conical flask, was a jug that the condensed yellow liquid dropped into.

It was a basic principle in creating tinctures. Jeremy had got the ratio of water to root correct and had even chopped away the unsuitable parts of the root. The kid was good. With how much liquid had condensed and collected in the jug, I figure we'd have enough for my purposes soon, which left me with just enough time for breakfast.

I wandered back into the kitchen and ruffled Jeremy's hair as I came up behind him. Hmm, maybe ruffling was a pack thing.

'Perfect.' I said, 'couldn't have done it better myself.' Jeremy beamed with pride, but did his best to keep it to a happy grin. I laughed at his puffed up chest and went to take the pan from him.

'I found you some sausages too.' He said as he handed it over. 'Is there anything else I can do to help?' I smiled and shook my head.

'Okay, well, if you need me just holler.'

Whilst I was cooking our breakfast I took a simple pleasure in how proud I was of Jeremy. He had taken to herbalism not without difficulty, but had nearly mastered everything I had to teach him. My Nan would have been proud of him too.

My Nan. A Witch.

I hadn't really thought about it since the dream. I didn't really know what to think about it: what being a Witch meant, whether it was important or not or whether it was crucially important or if it was a choice, or hereditary. My Nan was still the same, and she'd obviously not hidden it from me. Why couldn't I remember this before?

These all seemed like questions for a different time. For now I had a pack to protect and a vampire to hunt. I made a bacon sandwich for me, and a triple-decker bacon, cheese and sausage toastie for Jacob. I figured he'd be hungrier than me.

I walked out on to the porch carrying our breakfasts. From my vantage point, I could see Jacob talking to Miriam and Charlie. He was pairing up Leah and their Jared for sparring. Jared and Miriam started circling each other with weary expressions, sizing each other up. Miriam made an obvious feint on to her left, but Jared didn't respond. She was testing him, and he'd just passed.

Leah was facing Charlie in a classic self-defense style; again, nothing given away there, although I could read uncertainty in her frown. Charlie was laughing and bouncing around on the balls of his feet. It looked like he wasn't taking this seriously; Leah was a fool if she thought he wasn't. In a flash, Charlie was on her, fists flying. Leah didn't miss a beat and oddly seemed more comfortable with the fist fight than she did the uncomfortable social awkwardness.

With sparring in action and Chris supervising, Jacob bound up the stairs.

'Breakfast?' He sounded like an excited school boy.

'Breakfast.' I said, holding up his sandwich that was trying its best to be a skyscraper.

Jacob stared at it open mouthed. 'Now that,' he said, taking it from me, 'is a sandwich.'

He wrapped his other arm around me and kissed my forehead.

'Best Mate ever.' He mumbled into my hair. He pulled his arm back and gave his breakfast his undivided attention. He was holding it with both hands, clearly unsure where to start before he giggled at it then attacked it with gumption. As I said, excited school boy.

I couldn't help but smile at his antics. A tall and proud werewolf, maybe even an Alpha one day, stood in the glorious sunshine preparing for battle with ketchup all over his face.

'Hey!' Our Alpha, Jared, walked up the steps of the porch called in a greeting. 'I saw Jeremy prepping something.' Jared let the question hand in the air.

'It should help us against the mind control.' I said, 'Jeremy did an excellent job in preparing it.'

'Should help?' I nearly didn't understand what Jacob had said, the words being plowed through various parts of pig.

'It's an unknown ability and thus, an untested potion.' I shrugged, 'but I'm confident that it'll work.'

'Good enough for me,' Jared said, resting his hand on my shoulder. 'When will it be ready?'

'As I said, Jeremy did some good work. It should be ready in half an hour or so.' Jared nodded. He looked over at Jacob and nodded at Leah and their Beta.

'They fight well.' Jared said.

'Leah needs to control her temper more,' Jacob replied, 'she gets taunted too easily.'

I was staring at Jacob in slack jawed amazement.

'What?'

'You finished eating that sandwich?' I asked, dumbfound. 'Already?!'

'I was hungry.' He mumbled defensively.

I rubbed some ketchup of his face with my thumb. 'You're an animal.' I laughed. He grabbed the wrist close to his face and pulled me into him. His body was radiating heat and his breath tickled my skin.

'Yep.' There was no Shakespearean sonnet quite like those three letters when they tickled your face.

A terrifying howl shredded through the moment. In the half a second in took me to turn around, Leah and her Beta, Jared, were already in wolf form and barreling towards the forest.

'That was Paul,' Jacob shouted as he leapt over the banisters, 'something's wrong!'

Jared's hand landed on my shoulder with a gentle force. 'We can't risk you going.'

'If it's the newborns and their leader, you'll need me.' I turned to look at him. It wasn't often I saw indecision in his eyes. 'Trust me?'

Jared nodded at me and nudged me towards the stairs.

'Ryan!' I barked as I descended the stairs. Oddly, it occurred to me now that I hadn't changed my clothes since yesterday.

Ryan was suddenly at my side, Chris on the other. 'Wolf up, we're going fast into the forest, everyone else is taking their lead from Jared.' My sentence finished with a ripping sound, and Ryan's seven foot wolf form was in front of me. Behind him, I saw the eyes of Jacob's massive brown wolf-form lock with mine before he turned into the forest knowing we were right behind him.

Without a pause I leapt onto Ryan's back. 'Go!' Power flared through me just in time to stop Ryan's speed from knocking me straight off. Behind us I heard the howls of our pack chasing our destructive wake. The time it would take us to get there should be enough for my plan. I felt for Ryan's mind, and through it, the rest of the pack. They were all wolves which made sensing their minds so much easier.

We pulled up alongside a brown wolf plowing through the undergrowth. We'd caught up with Jacob. Through the link with the pack I tried to send the power that would shield their minds. I felt the shield around Ryan's mind; it shut around it like a metal cascade. However, whilst my power was reaching the pack, it wasn't shielding them.

As we got closer and closer to the source of the howl I started to panic. I was leading the charge that might get all of us killed if we ran into 'mind-control man' and his hoard.

I buried my face in Ryan's fur to help me focus. I took a deep breath in, inhaling the smell of grass after a storm. An image of Ryan flashed through my mind: broken and bloody lying on the floor of our house in Oregon.

I would not let that happen to my pack again. I concentrated harder on the resting sparks of power.

I felt the sparks flare. One by one the sparks disappeared as each of my pack's mind shielded itself.

An unforeseen side-effect of blocking the minds' of my pack was that it would be much more difficult to enter them myself.

The Puppy at the back of my mind curled up to rest. Powering a few people around me was one thing, protecting the pack over a distance was going to take some power.

A savage snarl brought me out of the tumultuous race through the forest and I held my breath as we leapt through a copse of trees. I felt the power in my body as Ryan leapt into the air and I forced it into my finger tips and legs. Ryan landed with impossible grace in front of the threat that had brought us into the forest. Leah and her Beta, Jared, were poised on the opposite side of a small clearing with a brook running through it. Flocks of birds taking to the air behind them signaled the arrival of the rest of their pack. Sam's huge black wolf form strode through the tree line, shadowing his Beta's slightly shorter brown one. Jared had grey fur around his eyes that made it look like he was wearing a bandit mask. Ryan and I were opposite them with my pack appearing slowly behind us; Jacob was seconds behind us, changing form mid leap. He landed into a forward roll and came to his feet with such a grace I started worrying how I was going to get off Ryan without looking like a fool.

'What is this?' Jacob's voice rang across the leaf covered clearing with authority.

Ryan started to move beneath me so I could slide off easily. Having a wolf play chariot would be a huge insult and giving any leverage for insult here would be dangerous.

I yanked at his fur, keeping him upright. I tugged on the molasses of Jacob's power and got enough to jump off Ryan in a somewhat dignified roll to my feet. I came to my feet and slowly made my way to Jacob's side.

The clearing we were in was small and sheltered. It's only noticeable feature was the small break in the canopy that let the sunlight hit the forest floor. Jacob and I were stood on the banks of a small stream that ran through the clearing. In the gentle sunlight it was beautiful, with flowers blooming into the sunlight and the morning mist dissolving into thick drops of dew.

On one side of the small stream was Paul sitting on the bank, clutching his shoulder that had obviously been injured. On the other side of the brook was the Cullen vampire that was introduced as Emmet.

'He attacked me!' Paul shouted from his position on the damp ground of the stream. Growls sounded from behind him and their Jared's eyes shone a dangerous gold.

'You were in our land!' Emmet shouted defensively.

'I was chasing one of the newborns you stupid son-of-a-'

'Paul!' This was no time to get into a fight because people wanted to start shouting. My intrusion into the conversation managed to stop Paul from finishing his insulting comment.

'Paul,' Jacob started, 'what happened?'

Paul seemed unsure whether to trust Jacob, and after their last meeting, it wasn't surprising. After a few seconds Paul sighed and shrugged, staring at the floor.

'I picked up one of their scents a few miles away,' Paul said quietly, I had to strain to be able to hear him, 'when he knew I was tracking him, he bolted.'

'And you chased him through Cullen territory.' Jacob finished. Paul looked abashed, but nodded. Distant rustling through the trees announced the arrival of the rest of the Cullen clan. Highlights of blonde lit the green canopy where they shouldn't, branches bent on pressure they shouldn't be feeling.

'I was hunting –' Emmet started talking, but faded off as if he didn't know how to talk to his current audience.

'We don't need to explain ourselves to these animals.' Rosalie's calm voice cut through the calm breeze. She walked calmly to his side from behind a tree; I was virtually part of the forest and I knew she hadn't been there two seconds ago.

'We're animals?!' Paul shouted across the stream, getting to his feet.

'Yes, animals!' shouted Rosalie.

'Enough!' Jared shouted. Jared was in full 'Alpha' mode. His glare was dominant, his voice commanding and his presence demanded respect. All the wolves, even those of Sam's pack stepped back and bowed their heads. To the vampires though, his authority wasn't so evident.

'Rosalie, don't.' Alice dropped from a tree into view, glaring at Rosalie.

'They're less than us, not even human.' Rosalie hissed as she made her way to Emmet's side.

'Now's not the time,' Edward's gentle baritone melted through the breeze.

'Fuck them,' Paul snarled. He was still holding his shoulder but his eyes glowed a dangerous, wolfish yellow.

'Try it, wolf boy.' Emmet growled at Paul. Paul's skin started to rumble underneath his skin, hardly contained underneath a layer of barely held resolve.

'Stop! He's right.' Carlisle stepped through the tree line onto the slope that led to the stream. 'This isn't the time to be fighting each other.' With the wolves heeding Jared's command and the vampires listening to Carlisle, there was a moment of peace and clarity.

I had made my way into the middle of the discussion and had my hand resting on Jacob's bare back.

Sweet lavender cut through the scents of the forest.

Nan was sat at her dining room table that was scattered with scraps of paper and old family heirlooms. I couldn't remember the puzzle she was trying to solve but I knew it was out of her grasp. It wasn't a puzzle of magic or myth, but of betrayal.

'It's not making sense.' I heard her whisper.

'It's not a puzzle,' My fourteen year old self answered, 'it's a timeline, like this.' I said, rearranging the pieces into a line. I saw my Nan's features shift from confusion to understanding, to sadness. She looked at me with a frightening sympathy from sad eyes.

The forest came into focus, as did our reason for being in the middle of the forest, miles away from anything.

'You're wrong,' I said, looking at Carlisle. 'This is the best time to be fighting each other.' Jacob had turned to look at me with a frightened look I wish I could just wipe away like the smudge of ketchup a few minutes ago.

It made no sense for the leader of the newborns to send a single vampire through territory he already knew. I didn't know why he'd done it, but I did know that the result was drawing Paul through Cullen land. The Paul/Cullen conflict had brought the rest of his pack into the middle of the forest.

What did that achieve?

Pulling Sam's pack into the forest had pulled ours as well. Both packs were sat in the middle of the forest along with the Cullens when there were a million and one things we were trying to protect on its edges. Sam's packs families, the people of Forks and the people caught up in the fight.

I looked at Jacob in the eye with urgency and jealousy. 'Where's Bella?' I whispered. Jacob's head whipped around to glare at Edward who was no longer stood there, a whisper of movement marking his retreat back to the house. Jacob didn't even pause a second before his wolf form was tearing its way through the forest towards the Cullen house.

'No! Wai-' I shouted after him but so quickly, Leah and her Beta, Jared, were hot on his tails. Our Alpha sped past us and most of my pack shot past me in a blur of familiar scents. Two massive wolves stayed by my side, a stout brown wolf and a tall grey one. Jeremy and Ryan were stood either side of me and hadn't moved despite their Alpha's call.

'You should both go with them.' I muttered. Ryan's grey, furry face came into view, growling at me with a full set of snarling inch long teeth. Jeremy's nose nudged me gently towards Ryan's growling maw. The message was clear and emotive: We're with you. Don't argue.

Jeremy nudged me again, this time with a gentle nuzzle: what do we do?

Pulling two packs into one place meant they wanted to be somewhere that the two packs stopped them from getting. Neither pack nor vampire clan had anything that was vulnerable, except Bella, the Human.

I pressed my hand gently to Ryan's forehead and opened my mind to the pack. Instead of being bombarded my images and sensations I sent a few of my own to them, passing on my message in memories and pictures. The walls I'd erected around the minds' of the pack made it difficult, but Ryan nodded his understanding. Jeremy's snout rested gently on my shoulder: the wolf equivalent of a hug.

'This was all planned,' I said, 'if it were me, I'd have set a trap. Tell Jared to be careful.' Jeremy looked slightly unfocused for a second whilst talking with the rest of the pack. His large headed nodded once at me.

'You guys be careful.' I said quietly. Ryan huffed hot air into my face. If I had to guess, it meant "No, you be careful".

Ryan and Jeremy turned and faster than my powered down eyes could process, they were through the tree line and running a different way to the pack.

I let my mind melt into the forest and sensed the life that crawled through the inches of its borders and branches. Pulling myself higher, I glanced passed its leaves and touched the ground that the packs were aiming for. The tired little Puppy kicked power through my body. My eyes shone green and I felt my muscles tense, straining at the power running through them. Still without my wards, I was going to have to be careful.

The distance between Jacob and me made tugging at his Sloth-like energy impossible. I pulled what I could from the Puppy and after a few seconds I stopped feeling the branches and leaves because as I passed through them, I was them. One second I was a tree with a hundred years of scars, a fraction of a second later I was a flower that had just met the sun. I let the spirit of the forest carry me from bower to bush towards the Cullen house. The house sat in a clearing of the forest so its spirit would take me only as far as its border. I leapt from the embrace of the spirit, closer and closer towards the house. So many miles travelled in less than a second, yet these last few yards travelling without the spirit felt like I was swimming through jam.

I hit the upstairs wooden floor in a roll and came up in a crouch. My body buzzed with how much power I'd used to travel incorporeal those last few feet.

From below, someone screamed. The staircase with a motif of graduation caps was just in front of me, leading away from me before coming back on itself. I ran at it but instead of taking the stairs, jumped over the rail and landed back in a crouch at the bottom of the staircase. I was going to be sore later.

Two vampires were dragging Bella out of the door. She seemed to be putting up quite a good fight for a teenage girl against two supernaturally powerful creatures. I took one step forward before I saw my mistake. I was right, this was a trap. Vampires dropped from the ceiling and came out from around corners. The strength of a normal vampire could be lethal to a werewolf, and the strength of a newborn was frighteningly greater. Apparently though, this wasn't enough. Each one of the creatures held a dagger, the mat finish and the fact they were expecting werewolves made me guess they were coated in silver.

So that was the plan, set up a trap and take out both werewolf packs in one go. I wonder if they even wanted Bella, or was she just a way of setting everything up? I looked at the two vampires that were blocking my way to Bella, both had bright, blood coloured eyes: both newborns. The three that had dropped from their positions on the ceiling beams were the same, as were the other two that I could see in the living room.

There was no snarling, no leaping without thinking. Apart from Bella's screaming, there was silence. The vampires seemed calm and coordinated. I didn't know a lot about newborns, but I was guessing this wasn't normal.

'So how does it work?' I said, not taking my eyes off the two vampires blocking my way, the closest to me. 'You just program them and let them go like a cheap robot, or do you have to control them like puppets?'

A vampire in another room laughed, one of the vampires blocking the door smirked.

'That would be-' one said.

'Giving it away.' Another finished.

'Do you even want the girl?' I asked, shifting my balance a little for a jump.

One of the vampires in front of me shrugged whilst the other answered. 'It is no concern of yours.'

Another of the vampires in the other room moved forward and lounged against the doorframe.

'You'll be dead soon.' He said as if he was bored.

'And we'll decorate the house-' a smaller vampire said.

'With your intestines.' The vampire who started the sentence finished, laughing.

'Yeah?' I whispered. From my crouched position I unleashed the power that was coiled in my muscles and leapt, like I was flying, across the room and over the heads of the two vampires blocking the door. I grabbed the head of the vampire who had just finished laughing and twisted in the air, his head coming away in my hands.

I landed and rolled, coming up next to a huge bookcase, but the books weren't what I was after. On one of the higher shelves was a polished katana. The head made a "thunk" noise as I dropped it and picked the katana off its stand. The grip felt smooth from use and the balance was perfect. I'd been worried that the sword was just for show; I nearly sighed with relief that it was not only real, but felt like an excellent quality sword.

All the vampires were staring at me, the skinny one even had his mouth open. I span the katana around a couple of times to warm my wrist up.

'Are you guys just gonna stand around, or are we going to dance?' I said, bored.

Something changed, I felt it in the air. The cold, collected look disappeared from their eyes and all of a sudden I was surrounded by rage and hunger. Cold, collected and coordinated vampires were a problem. Stupid, angry and hungry vampires I could handle.

My eyes flashed and the dance began. I kicked the wall behind me to launch myself forward, twisting as I went. The sword sliced through the air, and there was just a touch of resistance as it severed an arm from a body. As soon as two feet touched the floor I flipped backwards to dodge a dagger aiming for my face. Coming out of the flip I thrust the katana into the air behind me, underneath my arm. It bit deep into one of the vampires that had been guarding the door. Grabbing the handle with both hands I twisted around. The katana twisted in its place, carving a hole into the vampire it was stuck in as he howled in pain. I felt power surge through the muscles and sinew of my leg as I snapped a head kick to the armless vampire behind me, knocking him on his ass. With sword in hand I span around, dislodging the sword and then severing the vampire's head.

Silver flashed and a blazing trail of red cut from one shoulder blade to another. Staggering forward I caught myself on the table just in time to raise the katana to eye height to meet an oncoming charge and felt the weight of the vampire's face press on the blade. With a grunt of effort the blade slid through marble-thick skin. Another twist and the top of his head fell to the ground. He stayed upright for a few seconds before crumbling to the floor.

Three down, four to go. Their silver weapons would have been a huge help against a Lycan foe. A cut from such a weapon would be agonising, even if it wasn't serious. A stab from one would be debilitating or even fatal if close enough to a major organ or artery.

A newborn jumped at me, arms open wide to crush me. A quick twirl any ballet mother would be proud of and I had the vampire pinned by his throat to a wooden beam. My eyes flashed sea-green and I felt Puppy throw power into the ancient wood. Life stirred through the old grain and from the new power, a strong, thick branch burst forth straight through the vampire's chest.

I'd paused too long and earned a bright red slash up my left side but the power buzzing through me was an excellent pain-killer.

I looked her in the eye before I drove the katana blade through her face. The weird thing about fighting vampires was that there was no blood, unless it was yours. White powder puffed out from where the katana divided her nose. A twist and kick saw her body make its way across the room with her face lying at my feet in pieces.

Barely slowing, I let the katana fly from my hand and imbed itself in the chest of a tall, stocky newborn. Rolling forwards, I tugged at the sword then dropped and spun, cutting through his knees. Another slice and his head rolled away.

There was silence in the house. Vampire bodies and the dust of battle was still dancing in the air. I'd survived. I was looking at the debris of limbs surrounding me when my mental arithmetic started shouting warnings at me. I was one short.

I span on the spot, but even with power and adrenaline pumping through me body I couldn't get out of the way in time. The hand had been going for my throat but I'd moved just enough for it to collide with my shoulder. Pain exploded through my upper body as the blow connected and I flew backwards, my back hitting the ground hard. More pain flared through the cut that marked its way between my shoulders.

The newborn growled and lunged towards me. I slapped my hand to the wooden boards beneath me and thrust power into their ancient and unused pathways. The vampire's foot sunk into the wood as if he'd stepped in mud. The time it took him to yank his foot out, destroying the floor was just enough to get to my feet. My left arm hung useless by my side and I was fairly sure the back of my head was bleeding from where I'd hit the floor. I still had my katana and some power resting at the back of my head so I wasn't out yet.

Silver flashed toward me and rung as it clashed with the steel of my katana. The blow shoved my arm to the side and gave him just a second to sink the blade into my left side before I could pull away.

Blood made it about two inches up from the tip of his dagger. Any further and he'd have had one of my kidneys on it. Pain was lancing its way through my shoulder and I could feel blood dripping down my side. I had to finish this, and quickly.

The vampire charged towards me, his right hand aiming for my throat. I grabbed his wrists and twisted it inwards, making him put all his weight on his right foot. Quickly taking his foot out, he collapsed onto the floor. Taking advantage of his confusion I rammed the blade through his neck, severing his spinal column. That would be the takedown I used on Charlie what felt like years ago; thanks to Miriam were most certainly due.

I still had my hand on the handle and my breath was coming in short, sharp gasps. It was a howl of a wolf that brought me back to the moment. I'd set down in the house less than a minute ago, and now I was surrounded by devastation and death.

I'd managed to bury the sword through the vampire's neck and into the wooden floor beneath him. It was with a sharp tug that sent a wave of pain through my dislocated shoulder that I managed to get the floor to release its bite on the blade.

Edward flew through the door ready for action, only to stand and stare in astonishment. Jasper was right behind him, quickly followed by Emmet and Alice. Alice seemed to recover first and coaxed Jasper upstairs. Jasper had been looking at me with hungry eyes but with the amount of blood on my clothes I was only surprised at the restraint of the rest of the Cullens.

The sudden noise of the packs arriving outside made me squeeze the handle of the katana. There was nothing but death around me and I think I had more adrenaline and power running through me than I did blood. I was waiting for something to come at me so the dance could start again. Come at me, I'm ready.

I was surrounded by bits of vampire, a sword in one hand and the other hanging useless by my side that Jacob found me. Jared was a second behind him, concern and something else etched into the lines on his face. I could feel the shirt at the top of my back stuck to my skin with blood. Blood had spread from the cut on my right and was also dripping through the stab wound on my left. I didn't know how much blood was matted in my hair, but they couldn't see that yet. Still, the katana was in my hand and my muscles ready to pounce.

Come at me, I'm ready.

'What happened?' Edward asked, 'where's Bella?' He took a step forward, but Jared's hand on his arm stopped him from getting any further.

Power-fuelled adrenaline was still pumping through me and I could feel the void of undeath on the periphery.

Come at me, I'm ready.

Large hands rested on my arms. Jared had made his way to me and the smell of musk and fur pulled my gaze up from a decapitated estate agent, a memory of a two-year old daughter faded through the air. I looked up and met the brown eyes of my Alpha.

'There was nothing you could do.' His voice had meaning, but his eyes said "Calm Down".

'He had a little girl.' I muttered. It sounded like an excuse. I wanted to kill what took this man away from his daughter. A memory that wasn't mine slid before my eyes; a happy forty-something year old with brown hair, one green eye, one blue. An energetic little toddler waddled into view.

'Her name was Sarah.' A large calloused hand slid gently down my arm towards the katana.

'And I bet she and her mother are safe.' His deep voice thrummed through the power already in my blood. I pointed at the body of the only woman vampire who was lying in the corner of the room. Her face was in pieces and powder a few feet away from me.

'That's her mum,' I said, silently morning the destroyed family lying at my feet.

I took a deep breath in and bundled the power still racing through me into a tight little ball. With a sharp exhale and a shove I threw it at the Puppy who would look after it for safe keeping.

I turned gently towards Edward and took two steps that after doing battle with vampires at ridiculous speeds felt like I was walking in slow motion.

I turned to Carlisle. 'Thank you for the katana, it's a beautiful sword.' I gently tossed it to him. Carlisle caught it by the handle with a familiarity that spoke of fewer years as a doctor, and more as something else.

I focused again on Edward's captivating eyes, so pained and taught with impatience and frustration.

'The vampires took her,' I said, 'but I doubt they will have gotten far.'

'What? Why?' Edward asked and his restraint was admirable.

I looked at Jared who smiled gently and nodded. 'I organised an interception.' I said.

There was a victorious howl from the forest that sounded of a joyous home coming. As I said, you could learn a lot from a howl.

Edward bolted outside and the rest of the Cullens followed at lightning speed. Jared rested a hand on my not-flopping-at-my-side-like-a-painful-fish shoulder and smiled. Sometimes, you got a smile that was worth a thousand standing-ovations, this one of those. He walked out the door and down the stairs, leaving me alone with Jacob.

Jacob stood in front of me, but was clearly lost as for what to do.

'I'm so sorr-' He started before I put a finger on his lips.

'We're alive, and we're together.' I said, 'nothing else matters.' His hands gently touched either side of my face and the faintest of kisses brushed against my lips. His hands traced their way down my arms.

'Are you going to be able to manage the stairs out?' he asked with gentle concern.

I turned to the side and made my slightly wobbly way towards the stairs that led out of the vampires' house.

Ryan and Jeremy's wolf forms burst through the tree-line like winning charioteers. Birds scattered and the trees almost bowed out of their way. The packs howled, the vampires cheered and Edward helped his blushing damsel off Jeremy's back.

'Try to pick me up and I'll stab you.' I said calmly, and began my decent towards the impromptu celebrations.


	9. A bridge between

Whilst never actually picking me up, Jacob was probably less than an inch away from me as I made my way down the stairs and towards the crowd.

Ryan was laughing-off the rescue with Charlie and Ian at his side. I could only assume that they were getting Ryan to re-enact what had happened. In his human form this was quite funny to watch. A few of the younger Uley pack were around them trying to join in, I think I could make out Seth and Brady; Collin was probably lurking behind the other two.

Jeremy was fussing over a scratch to Bella's temple which Bella was arguing about and slapping at his hands. I think Edward was trying to convince her to let Jeremy look at it, but really couldn't tell with him.

Miriam jogged over to us with an expressionless face. 'I assume none of these are life threatening.' She said simply, although her eyes were reprimanding.

'I'll be fine.' I muttered and went to walk past her.

'Yes, you will.' She answered. 'Hold here.' She instructed Jacob, placing his hands on my hips. I spun to look at Miriam to argue, and she shoved a thick twig into my mouth.

'Bite it.' And without warning she placed a hand on the top of my shoulder and her other grabbed the lifeless arm and pushed up. I screamed into the twig as the ball of my humorous bone fell back into its socket.

As the pain subsided I let the twig fall out of my mouth.

'Gee, thanks.' I muttered. Miriam laughed.

'You're welcome,' she replied. She gave Jacob a glare before walking back to the impromptu celebrations.

The laughs and cheers of familiar voices chased the last of the adrenaline out of my system. I turned to Jacob with a smile and nodded for him to come closer.

'I've got an idea.' I muttered. Arms that could crush stone whispered their way around my waist and tickled across my dirty shirt. I turned in to him and got a head rush of cinnamon and wood smoke as I whispered in is ear.

Jacob turned to look at me, his eyes glancing at my blood soaked clothes.

'I will be fine before anything happens.' I said, in answer to his unasked question. Jacob nodded slowly then turned to the celebratory groups. He caught the eye of one of its attendees and their little legs were soon scooting their way towards us.

'Jacob?' Colin asked, bravely.

'I was wondering if you'd do me a favour?' Jacob asked. His right hand rested on Collin's shoulder whilst he was whispering words to the thirteen year old who was beaming with pride. I could see Seth and Brady straining to see why Jacob would have called him over. In their world, Jacob was almost a celebrity, Collin would never forget this moment and there was virtually nothing Jacob could say that Collin wouldn't do.

Jacob hadn't finished pulling away to look at Collin before he'd nodded at me and made a bee-line for Sam and Jared.

'He's an enthusiastic young mite.' Jacob muttered.

'He worships you. You know you could have asked him to do anything and he'd do it because it'd make him cool.'

Jacob's arms were both around my waist as he stood up.

'You're still bleeding.' He muttered under his breath. I rested my head against his shoulder and let my head swim in the wood smoke and spice of Jacob's scent. For a few seconds it was nothing but his strength that was holding me up.

We weren't far from the edge of the clearing that suddenly disappeared into miles of undisturbed forest. A large tree held watch over part of the edge of the clearing. I nodded at it and slowly twisted so that I was roughly facing that direction. You wouldn't have been able to tell by looking at us, but as we walked Jacob's gentle arm around my waist was holding most of my weight.

Slowly, I sat myself against the base of the tree careful not to press the cut across my shoulders against the rough bark. Jacob was sitting by my side with a calm silence: I needed nothing else.

I was watching Colin talking to the two Alphas. Colin was going to be the proudest person in Washington today, if not the entire country. Sam was wide eyed and shaking his head slowly, Jared tilted his head up to me ever so slightly with a questioning eyebrow raised. I shrugged my shoulders in a 'hell, why not' gesture. Collin moved away from the Alphas only to be intercepted by Seth and Brady, he was going to have a lot of questions to answer and was undoubtedly going to enjoy answering them. Jared had walked away as well, only he was walking towards the Cullen house as Carlisle was coming down the stairs with a green case he'd retrieved from inside.

There was only a quick conversation before Carlisle smiled and nodded his consent.

'Do you think this'll work?' Jacob asked me quietly.

'I have no idea.' I answered, meeting his dark eyes. 'We're going to be fighting with them, we should get to know them, maybe even make a little peace.'

So caught up in thoughts of peace and Jacob's eyes, I didn't feel the putrid press of the vampires' approach until they were next to us.

Carlisle knelt down next to me as Alice did just to his side.

'Carlisle is a doctor.' Jacob said, before Carlisle got the chance to say anything.

Suddenly, a scuffle had broken out between Charlie and Emmet. Within a fraction of a second a ball sailed into the air and the undecided teams began throwing, catching and dodging. Seth was luring Collin and Brady away to a safer game with a Frisbee; Bella and Esme accompanying him.

'It's an interesting idea.' Carlisle said, following my gaze. 'A brave one, but nothing great came out of boring or mundane.'

'You should join in.' I said to Jacob. He looked at me as if I'd just slapped him.

'I'd feel better if you were over there.' I explained. 'You're the best person to keep the peace and help everyone get on with each other. Besides, don't you want an excuse to tackle Edward into the dirt?'

Jacob laughed at my reasoning and kissed my forehead before barrelling into the ball game that was flashing before me faster than I could keep pace with. Hell, I think physics would have trouble keeping up.

'How are you feeling?' Carlisle asked.

'Not as bad as I look.' I laughed. 'I think I might have a concussion though.' Alice popped open the green case and handed Carlisle a pencil-torch without him asking. The white light shone in my eyes as he checked my pupils. Satisfied, he handed it back and raised a single finger in front of my eyes.

'I want you to touch my finger, then your nose and repeat.' I did what he said without any problem until he told me to stop.

'I'm confident we can rule out concussion.' He said. 'Now, would you mind if I examined you?'

There was a loud cheer and whistling from Bella and Esme. Esme had thrown too high and Seth had gone to grab it. He'd run straight at a tree and with his speed had made it a good fifteen feet up the rough bark. Kicking backwards and swinging from a branch Seth caught the green disk deftly and landed in a deep crouch with a thud. Brady clapped loudly and Esme and Bella ran over to him to make sure he was okay. I laughed gently as I watched them, Seth wouldn't appreciate the fuss and wanted to be nonchalant whilst the subject of attention.

Whilst attention was focused on Seth, Charlie had saddled up to Jasper and grabbed the ball from him. Jasper laughed and they danced around each other whilst Charlie hid the ball behind his back. He popped it over to Miriam and the game was on again. I couldn't see Ian in the throb of activity, I assumed that he was making sure that the newborns weren't about to spring an ambush on us.

Most of the packs had gone with my suggestion without request or briefing. They knew that working as a pack meant knowing your pack. The vampires here would never be members of a pack, but working as a team was nearly the same thing.

Not everyone was onboard with working together though. I could see Rosalie stood near the house, glaring daggers at an oblivious Emmet. Whether she was angry for him playing football with wolves or ignoring her I wasn't sure. On the other side of the clearing almost opposite Rosalie was Sam's Beta, Jared. He and Paul were bringing scowling to a whole new level.

I turned to look at Carlisle and sighed. Most of the packs were doing everything they could to make peace and get along with the vampires, and I had to no right not to do the same.

'Do you have scissors?' I asked. Carlisle gave me a sympathetic smile and reached for the small bladed but very sharp scissors Alice had passed him.

'This one.' I gestured at the deep stab wound on my side. Gentle fingers ghosted over my side and I almost didn't feel him cutting away my t-shirt.

Carlisle made eye contact and smiled. 'Most definitely not fatal.'

'I appreciate the bed side manner.' I laughed. 'I have something to show you though.' I held my hand out for him to take. He put his hand in mine, he didn't even pause. There was no dishonesty in his eyes or treachery in his manner. His hand in mine was still like holding a putrefying rodent, but baby steps.

With his hand resting on mind, I moved it over and nodded at Alice for her to do the same. Intrigue and curiosity overriding whatever else she was thinking, she shuffled forward and rested her hand on top of Carlisle's.

With their hands on mine, I left my bleeding body and escaped to the forest. The first time I'd done this, the first time I'd heard that "thump" in my chest I'd nearly lost myself in the life and spirit of the forest. At moments like this, I could completely understand why. The life I could be a part of was both amazing and a blessing: there would be no taxes or politicians, no laws of man or betrayal of kin, just the forest.

The temptation was always there, but so accustomed to it I brushed it aside. The spirit of the forest and its power rested beneath me. The Puppy at the back of my head was fast asleep, but the Old Dog was quietly watching over him.

From the ground I drew some power from the forest, like a tree pulling water from the ground. Slow and steady, like sucking treacle out of a straw I felt it. My body instinctively pushed the treacle like power towards my wounds but I diverted it ever so slightly. Up my back, then down my arm, I let it pulse through the hand that Carlisle and Alice were holding.

Thump.

Once. Loudly. Fiercely. Proudly.

The heart of the forest.

Alice drew back, startled, but Carlisle just smiled. It only took Alice a moment to recover her composure before she put her hand back on Carlisle's.

The treacle slugged through my veins and made it to the cuts across my back, head and sides. I smiled at the weird sensation of flesh and muscle knitting together. Unfortunately, my body was nearly spent and I had no desire to spend the next week not being able to move.

The treacle of the spirits dripped back into the ground and I whispered a thank you as it went. It also left me with an odd taste of mushrooms. Weird.

The slight lessening of pressure on my hand signalled Alice and Carlisle removing their hands.

'That was incredible.' Alice whispered. 'I think I was a butterfly.'

'The power of the forest comes from its trees, plants, animals and insects.' I laughed. 'You may well have "been" a butterfly.'

'That was a great gift.' Carlisle said.

'You are helping fight for my pack,' I said, 'so you are more than welcome; although I couldn't quite manage to heal all of this one.' I gestured to the stab wound that Carlisle had been looking at.

The cuts on my head, back and side had managed to seal shut, although angry red lines marked the daggers' paths. The stab wound however was only partially closed. The muscles had come together but broken skin was still oozing blood.

'Here.' Carlisle muttered, tending gently to the wound on my side. It took his practiced hands only a few moments to clean it out and he placed the gauze over it with such gentle care I wouldn't have noticed if I wasn't watching. Alice watched on and smiled at Carlisle's practiced attention.

'Why did you go in alone?' Alice asked simply.

'Alice.' Carlisle's voice was calm but stern.

'It's okay.' I said. I looked at Alice and nodded for her to go on.

'There were two werewolf packs and a family of vampires coming. Why not wait?' She asked.

I paused for a second, remembering the thoughts that went through my mind when I realised an ambush was waiting for my pack.

'I suspected there was an ambush waiting for my pack.' I replied. 'They were in your house which would have made fighting as wolves nearly impossible and the silver daggers would have given them an upper hand.' I winced as Carlisle pressed down near the edge of the cut as he taped the gauze in place.

'Sorry.' He said apologetically.

'They weren't expecting me.' I finished. 'Minor wounds, no fatalities.' Alice thought it all through and nodded her understanding.

'All done.' Carlisle said in his calm tenor.

'Your pack is your family.' Alice said. It was a simple statement but I could feel there was a lot of emotion behind it. 'You'd do anything for them.'

'Yes,' I replied, 'without thought or question.' Alice's amber eyes locked with mine and I knew she understood. Whether it was glimpses of the future that had given her an insight or the way she looked at Jasper or worried about Carlisle I didn't know.

'We're very different,' I said, 'but family and pack aren't always defined by what you are, just who and the choices you make.' I held up my hand for Alice to help me up. It was almost annoying how graceful she got to her feet and helped my bent at the side and bloodied frame up. With Carlisle on my left making sure I was okay and Alice helping me up I was trying really hard not to gag on their smell.

Slightly to my side, a segment of shadow slid away from a tree.

'Better?' It asked.

'Nothing serious.' Carlisle answered without turning around. 'Some rest and everything'll be fine.'

Ian snorted as he stepped out of the shadow. A minute ago I was part of the forest and I hadn't noticed he was there. Damn he was good.

'You make that sound so easy.' Ian laughed.

'I am completely reasonable;' I laughed back, 'I'll rest.' Ian laughed again in response and disbelief.

'I'm not sure you know what that means.' He chuckled as he walked up to me wearing a pair of the pack's sweatpants. He handed me the backpack he was carrying.

'Here, it's got some new clothes in. I picked it up from the house.' He said. Carlisle and Alice excused themselves politely and walked towards the games and conversations between the packs and vampires.

'I'll be right back.' I said. I turned into the forest and walked until I found a tree big enough to hide behind, which consequently wasn't far. I knelt down on the soft ground and opened the pack that Ian had given me. There was a bottle of water and a washcloth in there as well as a fresh change of clothes.

Ian knew that I wasn't going back into that house, even to use their shower.

'Hey.' A voice behind me muttered.

I don't think I made an undignified shriek, but I definitely made a surprised noise at Ryan's unexpected approach.

'Sorry.' He said with a completely unabashed smile. 'Need a hand?'

I took a second or two to let my heartbeat get back to normal. 'Now that I'm not having a heart attack, sure.'

Ryan moved behind me and slowly peeled my bloodied top off my pack and helped me lift it over my head. He took the water and washcloth and wiped away the blood still clinging to the soar red line that went from shoulder to shoulder. I sucked in a breath as the cloth made its way across the healed wound.

Ryan worked in silence, wiping away the blood from my back and side. After a couple of minutes he lowered the clean, black, long-sleeved top slowly over my head. My still wounded side made getting my arm through the sleeve difficult, but Ryan's gentle hand held my arm whilst I struggled. Eventually I was in a clean top that felt fresh and more importantly, wasn't covered in blood.

'Help me bury this?' I asked holding my bloody and shredded top.

'Uh, sure?' I laughed at Ryan's confusion.

'There are vampires here; bloody clothes are probably distracting for them.' I explained. With a nod and a few swift scoops of earth by werewolf empowered arms, I chucked my old, bloodied top into the hole and watched Ryan push the earth back on top of it.

'So,' I asked, 'how do I look?'

I still had my dirty shoes and jeans on, but the black v-neck was clean and looked much more presentable than its bloody predecessor.

'Here,' he chuckled, wiping some smudge or another off my face. 'Much better and all presentable for the leeches.'

'Thanks Ryan,' I said, 'and they're not that bad.' I playfully punched his arm. He didn't look convinced.

I was too tired for this fight and had a feeling I'd need to save my strength for a few more important ones.

I laughed and linked arms with him. 'Walk me back?'

'Sure,' he said, 'but if Jake sees me with you and you're in different clothes, he may rip my arms off and hit me with them.'

'Oh my valiant defender!' I laughed. 'Don't worry, I shall protect thee.' Ryan laughed and used the arm I'd linked with his to help me walk without cradling my injured side.

We walked out of the tree line (there were a lot of tree lines in Washington I'd noticed), and towards the crowds of people. We were about halfway towards them when Jeremy made it to us.

'Are you okay?' His voice was urgent, 'I would have been quicker but Jared said-'

'Jer! I'm okay.' I said, 'Carlisle knows his trade.' Jeremy had more doubt in his eyes than colour. I held up my t-shirt for him to inspect Carlisle's handiwork.

After a minute or two Jeremy grunted acquiescence. 'It's pretty good.'

'So will you stop nannying me?' I laughed.

'Not a chance!' He replied with mock seriousness. Jeremy's name was shouted somewhere in the background, so he nodded at us both and took his leave into the bustle of supernaturally fast moving bodies.

Not wanting to intrude on either Rosalie or Jared and Paul's foul mood, I sat down on a patch of grass well clear of the ball game. With Rosalie up on my right and Jared and Paul over on my left, we'd made a triangle with the main game in the middle. Seth and his group were on the other side of the game which Carlisle had joined.

Ryan crouched next to me. 'Who's winning?' I asked.

'I haven't really been paying attention, although it looks like it's about even.' He said.

With her scratch tended to, Bella jogged over to us whilst giving the leaping vampires and werewolves plenty of room.

'Edward told me what you did.' She flopped down next to us on the still damp grass. 'I wanted to say thank you. How're you feeling?'

'I'm good. Carlisle has patched me up and I'll be good to go soon.' I said.

We sat there for a few seconds with nothing really to say to each other.

'So, you and Jake?' Bella said.

I could understand the interest. She was good friends with Jacob and knew that once upon a time, he'd wanted more. She was just watching out for him.

I'm still not sure I liked her.

'Yeah, me and Jake.' I said with a smile. 'It's a bit hard at the minute, with all these attacks going on.'

Bella nodded. I'd not had an in-depth lowdown on Bella, but I should imagine being with a vampire had its trials of its own. The fact that she'd managed to make herself the target of Victoria and even with Victoria dead her old army had just tried to kidnap Bella. Bella had just been bundled out of the house by two vampires who had taken her into the woods only to encounter two massive wolves that would have ripped the vampires apart then carried her back home. A rather stressful turn of events for anyone, let alone a teenage girl, but Bella seemed calm and well collected.

'It's good to see him happy.' She said, looking into the blur of movement that was a ball game. Every so often someone would slow enough for you to be able to see who it was.

'What will you do when this is all over?' She asked.

'Hey, I'm going to go join in.' I'd nearly forgotten that Ryan was still crouched on my other side. I watched him job towards the border of the game and then nearly vanish into the blurs of colour.

'We're not sure yet.' I said, answering Bella's question. 'Washington is beautiful and I wouldn't mind staying, but my pack belongs in Oregon and I love my home.'

Bella put her hand on my knee. 'I can understand not wanting to leave family, but if you decide to stay, you'll have a new one here.' I met her smile with one of my own. It was a very kind thing to say and quiet unexpected.

We sat in silence for a while watching the blurs of movement. Carlisle and Jared were talking with Sam quietly whilst the game started to wind down. Eventually, more and more of the blurs of colour slowed down. The werewolves were sweating, but each of them had a grin on their faces. The Cullens all looked like they'd stepped out of a studio ready for a photo shoot. Edward's hair didn't even seem ruffled, how was that even possible?

Emmet had just enough time to have a friendly after-game handshake with Chris before Rosalie dragged him away. Jacob ran over to us still grinning from his game.

'You guys okay?' He asked, taking my hand to help me up.

'We're good.' Bella said. 'How was the game?'

'Great!' Jacob laughed. 'I didn't think it'd be that much fun.'

'Well maybe you guys can come around more often?' Bella asked.

'After we've taken care of some business, maybe we will.' Jacob said. Edward walked passed Jacob to stand with Bella. His hands brushed a strand of her hair away so he could look at the scratch on the side of her head.

'It's fine.' She grumbled.

'What do you think?' Jacob asked Edward. 'Rematch after we've done some hunting?'

'You are on, although we won't take it so easy on you next time.' Edward said, smiling.

'What's going on?' Bella asked. Following Bella's gaze, people were starting to collect around Sam, Jared and Carlisle. I looked over at Jacob who seemed as confused as I was.

'Any idea?' I asked Jacob. He just shook his head and with his arm around my shoulders started making his way towards them.

After a minute or two, everybody was facing the three men.

'We,' Carlisle started, 'are very grateful for the help of Jared and Sam's pack in keeping Bella and our home safe. We also plan on helping you find this new threat as best as we can.'

'He's hold-up in Port Angeles, which makes things a little more difficult for us.' Jared said. 'However, Port Angeles is only so big and there are only so many places that he could be.'

'Marching into Port Angeles and stomping around looking for him will end up with him disappearing.' Sam finished.

'Two people from each pack and two of the Cullens will go into Port Angeles and scout him out. Quickly and quietly and we might just get the jump on him.' Jared said.

'When do we leave?' Chris growled.

Jared nodded at him. 'You and Ian will be going.'

'As will Leah and Jared.' Sam said. His beta didn't look to keen but didn't say anything.

'Edward and Alice,' Carlisle said, 'I'd like you to go with them. You both have talents that could be very valuable.' Alice and Edward both nodded. Rosalie looked like she was about to object before Emmet interrupted her.

'Ah, damnit, I wanted to go.' Rosalie looked at him as if he'd just grown a second head. Carlisle chuckled and smiled at them.

Since Jared had named those of our pack who were going, my surprise had kept me silent. Something about the lightening of the mood helped me find my voice.

'I'm not going?' I asked with surprise.

'You fought well today, but towns and cities put you on a back foot even when you're at your best.' Jared said with a straight expression.

'But his power! He could take control and get you all killed. I need to go.' Jared's eyes locked onto mine and I felt the Alpha staring me down and my head starting to dip.

There was a flash of a memory: Ian, Jeremy, Jack and Ryan lying prone on the floor of the pack house. The looks of pain on the faces of the rest of the pack, Miriam's crying over Jack, the wound at the bottom of Jeremy's neck. A flash of something that could be: Chris with his hands around Ian's neck, choking the life from him in a warehouse nobody would ever find him in.

My eyes came back up and locked with his. I wouldn't let anything happen to my pack.

'I need to go.' It was no louder than a whisper, but it was there.

Jacob's arm squeezed my waist. 'Hey you,' he pulled at my waist so I was facing him. 'Let these guys do some work, you're making them look bad.' He whispered with a smile, his hand brushed the side of my face and his brown eyes calmed my agitation.

'You were working on something to keep our minds safe. Is it ready?' Jared asked.

'Yes.' I said, still lost in the chocolate brown of Jacob's eyes. With a sigh I turned to look at Jared properly.

'Although it won't work on the Cullens, I'll have to work on something else for them.' I sighed, rubbing my eyes.

'Then let's head back. The sooner we get prepared, the sooner we can find out where this son of a bitch lives.' Chris growled.

Jared and Sam nodded their permission to their packs. With permission granted, both packs ran into the forest. I could hear the thuds of gigantic wolf paws hitting the ground before they disappeared into the forest.

Edward and Bella were talking quietly apart from the rest of the Cullens and I was still stood with Jacob's arm around my waist.

'We should get going.' I mumbled to him. I tugged his arm closer around me and let his warmth sink through my tired body. I was starting to get sick of being tired all the time, although I had just kicked vampire ass, so I'd give myself a break.

Jacob kept in step with me as we walked into the forest. At a gentle pace, it would probably take us the better part of a day to get back to the pack house.

'Are you up for, you know, doing your thing?' Jacob asked, pointing up at the forest canopy. I laughed at the way he asked the question.

'It's probably best that I don't.' I said. I was drained and over doing it whilst I was mid-jump with a passenger could be messy.

'Not a problem.' Jacob said. With a grin he walked backwards away from me, a back flip later and an eight foot at the shoulder wolf was standing in front of me. With his tongue handing out of its mouth he looked less intimidating and more over excitable puppy.

He padded towards me and nudged my face with his wet nose.

'You know, changes like that are why we go through so many sweatpants.' I said with mock reprimand. His response was to lick my face.

Whilst I was still laughing and wiping wolf slobber of my face, Jacob had moved so he was lying down in front of me.

I still couldn't get over how soft Jacob's fur was. He was a werewolf, a creature of unbelievable size and strength, something capable of so much destruction and terror that the world had relegated them to myth so that normal people could carry on with their lives. With all this in mind, it felt like he used Head and Shoulders daily with a conditioner treatment that would leave salons begging.

Slowly, he got to his feet and started moving through the forest. The Puppy was run down, but there was enough to push through my body to hold onto the werewolf beneath me.

'I'm ready,' I whispered into his ear, 'you're a leaf in the wind.' Jacob picked up speed slowly, but soon we were darting through the forest. My sparkling eyes kept track of the scenes as we went and again I felt a burst of guilt for never having fallen in love with the Oregon countryside quite like I had this forest.

With no time at all we were outside the pack house. It had obviously taken us some time to get there as everyone, including Edward who had left after us, was stood outside looking ready.

Jacob lowered himself to the floor and Jack was instantly there to help me the rest of the way off. The power seeped back to its resting place and as it did I felt the ache in my shoulders and side. Perhaps not going into Port Angeles was a good idea after all.

The six people, four werewolves and two vampires that were going into Port Angeles, were stood in a line. Jeremy was stood with the potion we'd made in a large wine glass, waiting for me next to Jared.

There were six people stood facing the house, Jared and Jeremy facing them as I walked towards them. I made my way slowly, I was saving every drop of power for what was about to happen. Instead of finishing the healing of my side, or driving away the weariness in my body, I was bundling up the energy at the back of my mind. He hadn't done anything to say so, but I'm sure Jacob could feel his own power rumble at the unusual build up.

Passing the line and walking up to Jeremy, I made sure not to walk in front of Jared as I took the glass from him.

I held the glass in front of me and let my mind wander towards it. The roots we'd made the potion from held the protective powers we needed, and this potion was a concentrated version. All it needed was a little push, like a wakeup call. A spark of power set of a chain reaction in the glass; some potions bubbled when subjected to power, others smoked, this one sparkled as if caught in the light of a bright sun.

I pulled myself back into my own body and focused on the glass in my hand. After seeing the world through the spirits of the forest or eyes of another creature, having something to focus on that didn't move helped stop you from falling over.

I looked up at Jeremy and nodded. Jeremy took the cup from me as he was supposed to, but his eyes still held the wonder and intrigue from the first time he'd seen me empower a potion.

Chris was first and took a gulp without hesitating, Ian did the same. Ian handed Jared the potion who took it with trepidation. Jared took a deep breath then swallowed some of it down, then grimaced like he'd just swallowed vomit. Leah took the potion from him and threw the rest back as if it were vodka in her first year at Uni. Good girl.

I felt the power of the potion running through them and sealing their minds. Mission achieved.

I stepped forward in front of Edward: this would be a lot more difficult.

My powers were based in the Earth, in nature and the forest. Everything about this creature before me was an abomination. They had no right to exist, let alone have the audacity to be stood so brazenly in front of me.

I slowly moved my hands up to either side of Edward's head and rested them on his marble cold skin. The smell of decay wrapped its way down my arms as if it was crawling toward me. I let my store of power open and felt it work its way down my arms and through my hands.

Instead of his mind, I hit a wall of stagnant decomposition and the fetid thoughts of others he could hear with his mind. I'm not sure what effect this had on me, but I knew Jeremy was now an inch away from me and I'd heard Jacob growl.

I pushed gently, but solidly against the wall of undeath that was blocking me. Slowly, like a worm making its way through clay-ridden soil I finally felt his mind. With the minds of the four werewolves shielded, I was only bombarded with the thoughts of Alice, Jeremy, Jared and Jacob as I touched Edward's mind. His talent was incredible!

I was also ready for the salvo of thoughts and feelings being fired at me. Without a seconds pause I threw up a wall around Edward's mind and pulled my hands away from him.

I staggered backward and would have fallen on my ass if Jeremy hadn't had the foresight to stand so close. Jeremy's arms helped me back up as I regained my focus. Coming out of someone's mind should take time and patience, but having done so would have left me open to all the thoughts and feelings of those around me. I don't know how Edward felt it all and didn't go insane, but I most certainly couldn't.

Jared came into view, just slightly between me and Alice.

'I'm okay.' I breathed. I stopped myself from taking a deep breath as I stood closer to Alice, the decay and putrid wind wrapping around me.

In the back of my mind, I could feel the enchantment I'd put around Edward's mind. I had no comparison for it; a ball of undeath sitting next to my powers of nature and earth. It was no small task to resist ripping it from my head with nothing but my fingers and nails.

I placed my hands on Alice's head. I had an idea of what to expect with Edward, but with Alice I had no idea. I pressed through the wall of undeath that wrapped her mind and clogged my throat. As soon as I was through I raised the wall and escaped again as quickly as I could. Nature would take its course whether we knew what that course was, or not. I had no desire to intrude on nature's design by knowing its plans before I should.

This time, I had no memory of stepping backwards, only Jeremy holding all of my weight as I regained my footing.

At the back of my head, two balls of rotting disease squatted next to my power, power I was using to feed them. As long as they were fed, the enchantment would hold.

'It's done.' I said. I made eye contact with Alice. 'Go find the bastard, I want to kill him.' I growled. Alice nodded her understanding and with a glance at Edward, disappeared into the forest towards Port Angeles. Edward and the werewolves were fast behind her, the birds fleeing the trees as massive wolves darted between them.

Jacob's massive wolf form had moved before us and his nose was breathing hot air on my face. I raised my hand and rubbed the side of his face.

'Remember the waterfall?' I asked. He snorted and lay down in front of me. I managed to get onto his back with some help from Jeremy. I waved at them both, hoping that would do for a thank you, before Jacob trotted off through the trees.

Without racing or travelling through the trees I don't know how long it should have taken us to reach the bottom of the cliff that we'd raced to so long ago. There was the fat, tall tree marking its opening at the top.

I must have fallen asleep; the sun was setting and we had just arrived at the cracked cliff face I'd climbed up with no powers to show my true mettle to Jacob. The power I had would have easily carried me to the top of the small cliff, but with the two spheres of death siphoning my power it would be harder than it should be.

A gentle breeze of lavender carried the words, 'stay calm, I'm proud of you'. I lost myself in my Nan's voice and felt the forest pick me up and carry me to the top of the cliff. I opened my eyes to see the dazzling waterfall, made even more beautiful by the oranges and reds. There were no birds dancing this time, and no elks to be seen but the privacy made the view all the more special.

A human Jacob sat behind me and pulled me against his side. His arms wrapped around my front and he nuzzled into my neck.

'What's wrong?' His breath tickled against my neck.

'It's nothing.' As I said it I felt a tear run down my cheek. It hadn't made its way past my cheek before Jacob's warm hand wiped it away.

'I can feel the Cullen's in the back of my head,' I cried quietly. 'It's not right Jacob, it's horrible.' Jacob's arms pulled me tighter against him and his warmth sunk into my bones.

'Ssh now, it won't be for long.' He whispered, one of his hands cupped the side of my face and traced slow circles with his thumb on my cheek. I paced my breathing to the circles Jacob traced and for an hour or so was not so concerned about the rot that had infected the back of my mind. Slowly, Jacob's circles slowed and I felt his chest rise and fall with the deep and regular breathes of someone who is fast asleep. His arms wrapped around me and his hand on my cheek, he'd still left me alone with two bundles of decay sitting in my mind.

I stared at the dark horizon looking for something, anything to take my mind away from the feeling I had inside. Eventually, I sunk into Jacob's arms and did my best to get comfortable; this was going to be a long night.

At first, I tried counting the stars. I managed to get to six hundred before I couldn't see anymore without turning and waking Jacob. Then I told myself the stories of the constellations I could see. I could see the top of Gemini on the starlit horizon, the stars Castor and Pollux at its top. They were twin brothers with the same mother, but different fathers. Pollux was the son of Zeus, strong and immortal. Castor was the son of a king, proud and noble, but failingly mortal. So close were the brothers that when Castor died from a spear wound, Zeus offered Pollux a choice. Either Pollux could spend the rest of eternity on Olympus, or give half his immortality to his brother. Pollux chose to save his brother and thus they spend eternity floating between Hades and Olympus, their journey marked in the stars.

I could remember my Nan first telling me that story and could still listen to it with her voice saying the words. I'd learnt since then that the story wasn't quite so romantic and that Castor actually died whilst stealing cattle. And let's not go into any stories involving the Leucippides, I don't think I could tell those to myself without imagining my Nan slightly outraged and disgusted.

The horizon was starting to glow with a hopeful hue. The sooner the scouting group was back, the sooner I'd be rid of this sickness. I'd managed to build up some energy, but the two grey enchantments were sapping most of it away. Life was slowly returning to my weary muscles, but the undeath I was feeding was starting ride through me like flu.

I looked up at Leo, shining down on us both. I didn't need my Nan's voice to tell me that story. Hercules was forced into performing twelve tasks for King Eurystheus; defeating the Nemean Lion was the first.

The Lion's skin was such that it could not be pierced by stone or metal, so Hercules wrestled it to the ground and killed it with his own hands. After trying to skin the beast with his knife and failing, he used the lion's own claw and from then on, wore the skin as a cloak.

I don't know why, but it was my favourite story. To use an enemy's greatest power as your own defense seemed to have wisdom about it that Hercules never seemed to benefit from in his legends unless Athena was at his shoulder.

My stomach lurched and I felt bile rising up my throat. I threaded power through me and wound out of Jacob's arms without him stirring. I edged myself closer to the steep ledge that dropped with the plunging waters of the waterfall and laid my head against the cold stone. Edward's ball of enchantment was growing dimmer; something was attacking it.

I pulled on the power I'd been saving and tried to push it towards the ball of death. My powers reviled the presence they were being shoved at, but I had no choice but to push harder. The power pushing at Edward's mind was being subtle, not trying to raise attention. It sapped the power in his enchantment slowly as if nobody was watching.

Eventually, the slow draw of energy eased off and my power was allowed to kindle again within me. The stone beneath me was no longer cold and I felt a drop of sweat run down my forehead. If I were lying on a pillow this would be where I turned it over to lie against the cold side. Quietly, with the sickening presence of unwelcome death in my mind I cheered myself on. That was an attack from the King of the Newborns. Edward probably didn't even know that it had happened, but I'd stopped it. I'd protected him and my pack that was with him and that was all I wanted to do.

My stomach clenched and I had just enough time to pull myself to the precipice to be sick over it. Not an ideal gift for such a beautiful scene, but needs must.

Energy was spiraling through the ground at a slow, but steady pace. The draw from the two enchantments didn't seem as much a drain as it had been and finally I started drifting to sleep. Sleep. At this moment I was almost craving the oblivion I'd experienced when healing Ryan all those nights ago.

Exhaustion tugged at my eyelids and tiredness lulled me towards it. Everything would be okay now, I was almost sure of it. The attack on Edward's mind had stopped, he had moved away from whatever the King of the Newborn's had wanted hidden.

Darkness descended over the slowly brightening horizon and for awhile I knew peace. The only thing stopping me from properly resting were the twin grey suns slowly spinning, blocking my view of the sunrise behind it.

In the dream of planets and suns, I turned to see my Nan stood amongst the endless nothing of space and dream.

'Rest, young one.' Her smile was sad, but as always, she had faith in me. 'You have a burden, but for now, we shall carry it for you.' Silhouettes of smoke and stars shimmered in my periphery.

I tried to speak, but no sound echoed in the void of stars and vacuum. She raised a wizened hand to stop me from trying.

'No child.' She chuckled. 'Rest.' She cradled the two grey spheres into her embrace as the stars started to dim.

'Rest.' The word resounded gently until it was all that I could hear in my head. Like a shepherd to its rebellious flock, it guided me to a gentle slumber.

I started to get restless in the hands of Sleep. The God of The Resting still held my hand as my ears opened to the waking world. I was still surrounded by a sea of stars and emptiness but could hear the call of larks and morning birds. Hypnos was loosening his grasp and sleep was slowly fading back to his realm.

I felt a gentle breeze of cold air against my skin. There was no breeze in space, just stars and distance and nothing.

The endless void of black slowly morphed into the dark of closed eyes. The stars merged into one faint sun pushing through the new dark. The stone beneath me was a reassuring presence and the sky was an endless duvet of changing mood and colour.

Warmth slowly started pulsing its way through tired limbs. Slowly it sank through skin and muscle until it warmed my body through.

'Hey.' I heard a distant voice call. With the final moments of waking, I felt the two balls of rot settle back into my mind. This time though, I'd had a few hours of uninterrupted rest and that was enough for the Yipping Puppy to yip and growl at them. Their enchantment would be fed, but the Puppy didn't have to like it and for once, both he and I were in agreement.

A gentle pressure on my shoulder rolled me onto my back. The combined stars of my dream were no longer an insisting light, but now a burning fire that cut through whatever hold Old Hypnos had on me.

'What?' I moaned. I'm not sure I actually made a word, but if I didn't my mood was definitely conveyed through the noise.

Warm arms scooped me up and pulled me into a wall that was radiating heat.

I opened a single eye to be greeted with a wall of russet skin.

'What are you doing?' I mumbled into the hug-rape.

'Wha-' Jacob sounded confused. 'You're burning up, and you were at the edge of the cliff and I didn't... what's going on?'

'I'm fine, Jacob.' I muttered into his arms. As disgruntled as I was, I wasn't too keen to move away from his warmth that seemed to sink into me.

'You said that after fighting a pack of vampires and were bleeding from God knows how many places.' Jacob was starting to sound angry. He shifted so I was looking up into his brown eyes. This time they weren't chocolate but Earth and fire mixed to radiate frustration.

'Tell me what's happening.' he growled. For a brief second, I could see the wolf in his eyes: destruction and terror.

I kissed the palm of my hand and rested it on his cheek and smiled into those burning eyes. Most of the fire died away, but I wasn't getting of that easily.

'I've got a fever because I'm guarding Edward and Alice's minds.' I said. 'Their power is so different; it doesn't mix well with mine.'

Jacob gaped at me, slightly unbelieving. 'Did you know this would happen?'

'I've never guarded a vampire's mind from possession before, Jacob.' I replied. 'I wasn't sure what would happen.'

Jacob bit back a reply and breathed deep. I felt the rise and fall of his chest as he calmed himself down.

'I'm sorry.' He said. 'I woke up, and your head was lying near a cliff edge, it made me anxious.'

'Just anxious?' I chuckled.

Jacob looked at me with a glint in his eye. 'If Isaac Newton was here, I'd have pummelled his face into the ground. I'd show him.'

I chuckled. 'Yeah, him and his gravity.' Jacob smiled at me.

'Are they back yet?' I asked, talking about the Port Angeles group.

'Not sure.' Jacob said. 'We won't find out from up here though.' Jacob shuffled behind me, and with a strong and gentle move, lifted us both to our feet. It wasn't that I couldn't get to my feet by myself, I was just far too comfortable to have wanted to. Jacob laughed at my childlike whine as I got to my feet.

'You're going to be okay when you stop protecting them aren't you?' Jacob asked.

As if in response, I felt the power of the Puppy pulse in indignation, a half hearted attempt to oust the stagnant invaders.

I smiled at Jacob. 'Oh , I think it'll be okay.' Jacob smiled back at me and the corrupted feeling of decay lessened a little.

We moved away from the stunning waterfall and its burgeoning rainbows in the morning sun and back to the still grey-green trees in the cliff's shadow. I took a deep breath and felt the flavours of the forest riding in the air.

Jacob turned toward me and I was ready to deter his torrent of concern about me getting down the cliff edge. Said torrent of concern was cut short when Jacob swept me off my feet: literally.

'Whoa, what are you doing?' Jacob had a cocky grin on his face as he looked at me and then scanned the tree tops.

'I've been flying with you,' he said, 'now you can come flying with me.' He sounded so genuine, but the smile spoke of mischief.

'I don't think that's such- Jake!' In two swift steps Jacob had leapt at the cliff's edge and jumped. For a few seconds I was weightless in the air before I felt Jacob's hands resting on my waist as we plummeted toward the ground. The green of the forest came at what seemed like a faster and faster pace. I shut my eyes, waiting for the dramatic thud that I knew was coming.

I heard Jacob's feet connect with the Earth and felt nothing but warm arms gently stopping my fall and pulling me back to his chest.

'Didn't trust me, did you?' Jacob said with a self-righteous smirk.

'You're lucky you're good looking.' I mumbled. His chest rumbled before he chuckled a deep reverberating sound that made it through me with his laugh. He let my feet go but his arm was secure beneath my arms while he made sure my feet were solid beneath me.

His arm retracted and he bounced on his toes beside me.

'First back to the house?' he laughed. It was a forced laugh and he knew I didn't have the power to race him, but who was I to turn down a challenge?

I pulled on the energy I had and leapt for the tree line. The massive oak that marked the opening to the cliff gave me a burst of energy that startled Jacob.

My usual trips through the forest pulled energy from trees, animals, insects and plants. This time, the forest was pushing energy at me, not much, but it sensed my purpose albeit not its priority.

I quickly outstripped Jacob with the Old Oak's help and made it into the tree line. However, I had neither the ability nor desire to get further ahead. I felt Jacob gain ground behind me and smiled at his approach. We slammed through the tree line and I felt Jacob's expectant look as he waited for me to drift into the forest.

I stayed.

The blades of grass fed tendrils of power to me as I tread on them; the leaves I whipped past graced me with power. I wasn't running fast enough to lose Jacob, but I heard him cheering behind me. It was the werewolf equivalent of walking an inch away from someone shambling down the stairs, but to him it was reassurance of my wellbeing, it was confidence and security.

There was a noise that had no description, but with a wet but reassuring nudge Jacob's wolf form was trying to slide me onto his back. Gentle power ran through me to make sense of the speed we were travelling at and the animal behind me. In a flash I was riding the wind on a furry messenger with pride and privilege as his heralds.

We made it to the house quicker than I thought we would without the aid of the forest. Jacob started to howl and Charlie joined him just as he started. We'd entered pack land and my house wasn't far beyond.

Charlie's wolf was a dark grey almost silver colour. I saw patches of it running beside us as we dashed through the rest of the forest. Out of the trees we came toward a group of people sitting on the grass outside the front of the house. Some rays of morning sun had snuck through the cloud cover and every so often Alice or Edward would dazzle as if they were made of diamond.

Jacob jogged towards the group and lowered his head to the ground, letting me slide off his back the way I'd gotten on. As soon as my feet touched the ground his muzzle was nudging me towards the rising Alice and Edward.

'Are you okay?' There was obvious concern in Alice's voice. I smiled at her and nodded my reply.

Jacob huffed behind me and nudged me again with his nose.

I closed my eyes and focused on the grey ball that shielded Alice's mind. The Puppy wanted to kick it out without any to-do, but I wasn't sure what the effect would be. Carefully, I stopped feeding the enchantment and within seconds the grey ball dissolved into the nothing that I'd called it from. Edward's was next and that too vanished into the ether. The Puppy yipped approvingly and finally settled down.

I opened my eyes and sighed with relief. 'Keeping your minds protected was a little harder than I thought.' I said, slumping to the floor. Jacob shuffled so I was leaning against his shoulder; his massive wolf-head rested on top of my crossed legs.

Alice and Edward settled down on the grass again. Looking around, all my pack was here, as was Sam's Beta, Jared as well as Leah.

'How'd it go?' I asked.

'We think we found them.' Ian said. He'd been up all night looking for vampires and yet seemed fresh as a daisy.

'There's a warehouse on the edge of the town, just by the main port.' Edward said. 'We only saw a few in the area, but that would make the most sense.'

'Did you get a look inside the warehouse?' Miriam asked.

Alice shook her head. 'We couldn't get close enough without drawing attention.'

'You did draw attention.' I said, suddenly I had everyone's attention. I looked up at Edward. 'The wall I had on your mind was attacked. It was subtle, as if they didn't want to draw attention, but it was there.'

'What does that mean?' Jack asked.

'It means that this warehouse might be a complete set up.' Miriam sighed. 'If it's not, they know we know about it and will either plan a trap, or just move out.'

'They won't run.' I said; I wasn't sure how I knew, but it felt right. 'They've set up one trap already, and that was in the Cullen's house, this time they're luring us onto their home ground.

'Alice,' I turned to face her, 'have you seen anything?'

'No.' Alice shook her head. 'I think it's because of all the wolves involved.'

'What does that have to do with anything?' Miriam scowled.

'Werewolves block Alice's power to see the future.' Edward said calmly.

'So, the bad guys may or may not know we're coming.' Charlie was counting things off on his fingers. 'They have probably set a trap for us, but we're not sure and our physic vampire is allergic to dogs.'

Jeremy laughed. 'Awesome.'

'There's something else.' I mumbled. Jacob whined and nuzzled my leg with his nose.

I looked at Edward and Alice before I started, almost smiling a pre-emptive apology. 'Vampire minds and powers are different to mine, like on the opposite end of a spectrum. Guarding you two was difficult.' I paused to gather my thoughts. Jacob nudged my leg again: take your time; I'm not going anywhere.

'I won't be able to guard your minds when we go.' I said. Jared was sitting on the bottom step up to the porch and looked over at me with a dark look in his eyes.

'It's not I don't want to.' I said, replying to Jared's dark look. 'Last night I protected two, and one was attacked, but gently. There was a big distance between us, but even so the energy and concentration was near total. If we go in, guns blazing whilst I'm trying to guard all of the Cullens and one of them comes under a full on attack from the King, I don't know what'll happen.' I looked over at Jared, feeling Jacob's fur under my hands.

'I'm sorry.' I dipped my head, watching his fur slide under my fingers.

'Don't be.' The voice was soft and thankful and surprisingly belonged to Edward. 'You stopped him from getting into my head. He could have hurt a lot of people.'

Edward looked at me with eyes that spoke of a tormented history. 'Thank you.'

'I don't like the idea of walking into a trap without backup.' Chris said. He was sitting at the bottom of the stairs on Jared's right. He looked over at as all, then nodded at Edward and Alice.

'These guys are good and would give us a phenomenal edge.' Chris said.

'Huh. Phenomenal is a big word,' Jeremy said nonchalantly, 'well done.'

Jack sounded like he was choking on a snort whilst Charlie was only doing a Herculean effort of not laughing because Jared was glaring at him. Chris mouthed the word "later" at Jeremy before turning to me.

'As I was saying,' Chris continued, 'is there anything we can do to keep them in the fight?'

'I'll have a think.' I said, but I don't think it sounded any more positive to them than it did to me.

'It's a shame Bella couldn't help.' Alice mumbled, almost to herself. Jacob's head flipped up to face Alice. He wasn't growling, but his lips were starting to peel back to show long teeth.

'Jacob's right.' Edward said. 'Let's not bring Bella into this.'

'Why would Bella be able to help?' Jared asked. I looked down at Jacob's head, expecting some form of telepathic answer from the wolf. Nothing; oh well, it was worth a try.

'I can't read Bella's mind.' Edward explained.

'She can shield her thoughts?' I asked, almost stunned. You would have thought this would have been something they would have mentioned earlier.

'It's not something she has control over.' Edward said. The conversation faded out as I got lost in thought. I was brought back to the conversation with a hot puff of wet air on my hand. Jacob was looking up at me and when I met his dark eyes, he cocked his head to the side with a stupid grin on his face. He was copying my 'I look like a dog/I'm thinking' look. I tapped his nose with my finger and laughed at his indignant look.

'You two okay over there?' Chris laughed.

'I think I might have something.' I said, still smiling at Jacob shaking off the tap to his nose. I looked over at Edward. 'Would it be okay to speak to Bella about her power?'

Edward sat straighter, obviously uncomfortable with the idea.

'It's just an idea, and Bella might not even need to leave your house.' I explained.

'What are you thinking?' Jared said. Jared was an incredible Alpha and he loved and cared for his pack with a ferocity that was frightening. Jared was also, and obviously, a werewolf. Werewolves he understood; he had excellent self control, could excuse himself when it faltered and played politics well. What he wasn't so comfortable with was ideas outside of what he understood, ideas that put members of his pack, i.e. me, in harm's way that he didn't understand.

'I'd like to speak to Bella about her power.' I said, trying to be as transparent about the idea as I could. If Jared thought I wasn't giving him the full picture, Ian and Charlie may well get permission to wrap me in bubble-wrap and take me back to Oregon.

'If it's something Bella and I can work with, I might be able to channel it.' I said.

'What does that mean?' Alice asked, curiosity soaking her words.

'Imagine Bella's power like a radio wave.' I paused, trying to explain. 'At the minute it only broadcasts so far as to protect Bella.' I waited for Jared and Edward to nod that they were with me. If either disagreed I probably wasn't going to get within three square miles of Bella.

'Well, what if I could tight beam it from her, to me?' I said. 'Bella can't use it to protect others, but what if with my powers, I can?'

'That's a lot of question marks.' Chris rumbled. I nodded in agreement.

'I'm not saying we storm the King with this untested. Let me talk to her, see what's possible and see what Bella wants to do.' I said. Jared looked at Edward, silently asking his permission.

Edward nodded his consent and everyone suddenly seemed to breathe easier.

'She's at my house.' Edward said. 'I'd prefer it if we went to her.'

Jacob huffed in my lap again. This time though he wasn't looking at me, but had caught Jeremy's eye. He nodded towards me whilst holding Jeremy's eye. Before I could protest Jeremy had skirted around Charlie and had his hand on my forehead.

'You're burning up!' Jeremy nearly shouted.

'I'm not burning up,' I said as calmly as I could, 'I'm actually burning down. Guarding Edward and Alice had me running a fever, it'll be gone soon.'

'You're sick?' Charlie asked. 'You've never been sick before?'

'I'm not sick!' I nearly shouted. 'Well, I was this morning, but it's-'

'You threw up this morning?' Jeremy cut me off. 'You were planning on trying untested powers whilst running a temperature and dehydrated? Did you get hit in the head as well, or did you just develop a case of stupid?'

Jacob's head lifted out of my lap to growl at Jeremy. Jeremy didn't pay the slightest bit of attention and looked over at Jared.

'Everyone needs to be on form and we still have time.' Jared said calmly. 'There is more work that needs to be done in Port Angeles before we attack, and you have some jobs to do here.'

'Is there anything we can do?' Edward asked.

'Your family has a much more intricate knowledge of Port Angeles than we do, your help would be greatly appreciated.' Jared replied. He may have been talking to Edward, but he hadn't taken his eyes off me or the slightly irritable Jacob resting in my lap.

'You have our numbers, we'll be waiting.' Edward replied. As a single motion, Edward and Alice stood and with the same grace disappeared into the green of the trees and plants.

'What kind of jobs are you talking about Jared?' I was recovering, sure, but I was still tired and slightly nauseous. I wasn't in a brilliant mood for playing games.

'It's nice and simple and doesn't involve vampires or unnatural creatures.' Jared said with a worrying smile. Charlie had such a big grin on his face I'm surprised it hadn't knocked his ears off.

'I thought this might be a good time,' Jared paused, 'to visit Sam's pack.' Jacob's head picked up from my lap and whined at Jared. Jared looked at him and shrugged an apology.

'It has to happen.' Jared said.

'Now?' I fairly sure I sounded a little incredulous.

'Why not? Everyone's all geared up and ready, we're just doing some last minute recon. with the Cullens and then we'll be good to go.' Jared said.

'Jacob's spent a lot of time with us, you should return the favour.' Miriam added. 'After a little while, whisk yourself over to see Bella and we can get the ball rolling.'

I sighed defeat. 'Okay, fine.' I felt Jacob move from behind me to let me stand up. The rest of the pack rose as Jared stood with me.

'We go into this at top form; another day isn't a problem if you need it.' Jared said. I nodded my thanks at him and looked around at the rest of my pack. Chances are that the next time I'd see them was when we'd be charging into battle.

'Are you guys going to be okay without me?' I laughed.

'We'll power through without you.' Chris said with a sad smile. 'We miss you kid.'

'After this is all over, we'll head back to Oregon and run the forests. We'll chase birds and swim in the lakes and order Charlie's favourite chicken take-out.' I smiled at them all.

'On Wednesday!' Charlie barked. Our local take-out had a delivery girl called Gemma who Charlie was particularly taken with; she only worked Wednesdays.

'On a Wednesday.' I agreed with some quiet chuckles in the background.

'I'll see you guys later.' I muttered, turning to find my eight foot wolf waiting for me. I walked towards the edge of the forest with my hand on his fury shoulder. Padding beside me, Jacob's wolf face gave nothing away about his thoughts or emotions at present.

'You're ecstatic that we're going to meet your pack aren't you?' I said whilst looking straight ahead at the trees. Jacob whined innocently and cocked his head so he could look at me.

'Don't give me that.' I laughed. 'Your tail is wagging like an enthusiastic Labrador.' Jacob's response was to playfully nudge the side of my head with his nose. I say 'playfully nudge', but 'stick wet nose in my ear' works too.

'Aw! Jacob!' I groaned, trying to shove him off, but my labours only seemed to encourage him. Jacob bound backwards and dipped his head to the ground, his rear end up in the air with his tail wagging in the air like an excitable puppy.

With an energetic huff he leapt from side to side, occasionally jumping forward to try and nudge my face with his nose.

I couldn't help but laugh at his simple joy and enthusiasm.

'Oh, okay.' I laughed. 'You want to play? Well you'll have to catch me first.' With that, I was leaping through the tree trunks, dodging this way and that to escape my over excitable pursuer.

With Kings chasing me and unknown powers nipping at my heels, all that mattered was the playful chase. The chase was all that mattered, the chase and the chaser, of course.


End file.
